EPA-1669 - Psychological Factors of Activity of Health Care Seeking Behavior in Patients Suffering from Affective and Neurotic Disorders

Abstract

Introduction

patients suffering from psychic disorders are characterized with postponed health-seeking. The aim of this study was to find out factors affecting the activity of health care seeking behavior (HCSB).

Material

200 inpatients took part the study. Most of them were female (74%). Mean age was 44,6±13,5. Among patients 29% suffered from affective disorders, 71% – from neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders. Patients were divided into 2 groups with active - aHCSB (n=99) and passive - pHCSB (n=100).

Methods

Coping-strategies (Lazarus) test, personality test and attitude towards disease test were used.

Results

Higher degree of combination of moderate seeking of social support coping and moderate planning of problem-solving coping was present in aHCSB compared with pHCSB group (57% Vs 35%, p=0,001). Patients with pHCSB compared with aHCSB were characterized with higher degree of mild seeking of social support coping and mild planning of problemsolving coping (8% Vs 2%, p=0,049). Mild anxiety traits were more common in patients with aHCSB than pHCSB (31% Vs 19%, p=0,041). In contrast severe anxiety traits were more common in patients with pHCSB than aHCSB (15% Vs 6%, p=0,042). Sensitive type of disease attitude resulted in pHCSB (30% compared with 11% in aHCSB group, p=0,012). Hypochondriac type of disease attitude was more common in aHCSB (21% Vs 11% in pHCSB, p=0,047).

Conclusions

health care seeking behavior is affected with complex of psychological factors. Knowing of these factors can be used in prevention of passive health care seeking behavior.