Failure to seek Medical Care

There was a study a few years ago in San Francisco that found 49% of people with mental illness failed to seek medical care for a condition they had.  The study cited concerns about coercive treatment, costs to obtain care, and worries about the process of seeking evaluation and care.  The study concluded that regular contact with a physician helped reduce medical costs and improved health care outcomes.

I think the percentage amongst the non-mentally ill failing to seek needed medical care is about equal.  Most people simply aren't sure if their medical condition requires a medical evaluation or not so they wait.  While they wait to improve or worsen to some vaguely determined threshold, they talk to people.  The checker at the market commenting on my yogurt that her frequent heartburn means she can no longer eat food like that.  My sister-in-law telling me about her failed attempts to lose weight and her painful joints.  My husband's cousin asking about substance abuse treatment for someone he knows who lives in Orange County.  The clerk at the office complaining she couldn't stop vomiting.  None of these people are talking to a doctor.  None of them are talking to a health psychologist.  Some of these people will talk online.  Some will call friends.  Some will check websites. 

Health psychology can help with all this.  Some people have been severely traumatized when seeking medical care.  Some medical doctors are abrasive and time pressured.  Some are simply perfunctory.  Some don't explain what they are doing or why.  Health psychology can provide a physician with information on how to treat a patient in a manner that matches their psychological make-up.  If you have an anxious patient worried about procedures then going through what to expect, how to remain feeling positive in light of ambiguity, and helping get questions answered can ensure the patient leaves knowing their questions were addressed.  For people who want a lot of information and require a lot of independence, then clarifying available options, providing research, and support assists that patient.  Some people just get overwhelmed and need to be helped step-by-step through each part of evaluation, diagnosis and treatment with information kept to a minimum.

If you have been thinking about seeking a physician for an initial consultation or second opinion about a condition or simply haven't sought treatment but have symptoms you are concerned about, feel free to contact me at DonohueMA1@me.com.