[Illness behavior in chronic pain].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the illness behaviour in patients with chronic pain.


METHODS
We conducted semi-structured interviews to 53 patients during 2000, in a tertiary care center. We explored their initial interpretations, responses and subsequent practices to chronic pain, until they received a diagnosis that satisfied them.


RESULTS
Illness behaviour was determined by pain intensity and disability; beliefs regarding pain causes, trust in social networks, and quality and satisfaction with the health care systems. In terms of the decision to seek care, the first option was to go to the popular sector, followed by consulting a general physician, and as last resort, to go to a tertiary care center ("with a specialist").


CONCLUSIONS
Illness behaviour should be conceptualized as a process, which combines the use of different health care sectors by the same subjects, as a result of care provided sequentially by each previous sector.
Lavielle
Pilar
P
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, Hospital de Especialidades Bernardo Sepúlveda, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Hospital General de México OD, México. pilaviel@yahoo.com
Clark
Patricia
P
Martínez
Homero
H
Mercado
Francisco
F
Ryan
Gery
G
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012803:Sick Role