title: Older people's recommendations for treating symptoms: repertoires of lay knowledge about disease.
abstract: This paper explores the content of older people's repertoires of lay knowledge regarding treatment strategies for commonly occurring symptoms. Data were collected through in-depth personal interviews in a sample of people 65 years and older living in community settings and managing their own health. Respondents mentioned a total of 657 specific treatment recommendations for 15 symptoms. Although very few mentioned treatments that were uniformly harmful, over two-thirds recommended treatments that could be harmful under certain conditions. Most respondents also identified treatments considered palliative or therapeutic. Implications of the results for patient education are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, SUNY-Plattsburgh 12901.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Stoller
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pollow
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Forster
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012648:Self Care / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support