Illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in Germany and their use of the health care system: a qualitative study
Objectives The aim of this study was to explore aspects that play a role when general practitioners (GPs) become ill and thus gain a more comprehensive understanding of the overall illness behaviour of GPs and their use of the healthcare system.Setting Primary care practices in Thuringia, Germany.Pa...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2022-09-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/9/e051404.full |
| _version_ | 1797997340335800320 |
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| author | Sven Schulz Florian Wolf Friederike Hecker Ulf Sauerbrey |
| author_facet | Sven Schulz Florian Wolf Friederike Hecker Ulf Sauerbrey |
| author_sort | Sven Schulz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives The aim of this study was to explore aspects that play a role when general practitioners (GPs) become ill and thus gain a more comprehensive understanding of the overall illness behaviour of GPs and their use of the healthcare system.Setting Primary care practices in Thuringia, Germany.Participants Convenience sample of 16 GPs.Design Qualitative study design with semistructured interviews and content analysis.Results Using our approach of having participants report their own episodes of illness, we found that self-treatment was practised and accepted by all 16 participants. The widespread use of naturopathy and complementary methods seems to be a special feature of German GPs. Formal use of the healthcare system mainly took place through direct consultation with specialists.Our study revealed various aspects influencing the illness behaviour of the GPs and their use of the healthcare system. Some aspects also apply to lay patients, but it became clear how strongly illness behaviour is influenced by participants’ activities as physicians. Noteworthy and less described aspects are especially the influence of patients and practice staff, the influence of biographical and professional imprint and the attitudes and values of the physicians.Complex inter-relationships were found between illness behaviour and influencing aspects; these are subjected to a dynamic and recursive process.Conclusions The illness behaviour of German GPs seems to be comprehensively influenced by their activities as responsible healthcare providers. The ability to perceive and reflect in this regards should already be actively promoted in studies and further education. Further research is needed for a better understanding of the inter-relationships. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:31:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4a042e5eeafd4a2b89b176c1e9976fe9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:31:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-4a042e5eeafd4a2b89b176c1e9976fe92022-12-22T04:29:25ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-09-0112910.1136/bmjopen-2021-051404Illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in Germany and their use of the health care system: a qualitative studySven Schulz0Florian Wolf1Friederike Hecker2Ulf Sauerbrey3Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, GermanyInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, GermanyInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, GermanyDepartment of Social Work and Education, Jena University Hospital, Jena, GermanyObjectives The aim of this study was to explore aspects that play a role when general practitioners (GPs) become ill and thus gain a more comprehensive understanding of the overall illness behaviour of GPs and their use of the healthcare system.Setting Primary care practices in Thuringia, Germany.Participants Convenience sample of 16 GPs.Design Qualitative study design with semistructured interviews and content analysis.Results Using our approach of having participants report their own episodes of illness, we found that self-treatment was practised and accepted by all 16 participants. The widespread use of naturopathy and complementary methods seems to be a special feature of German GPs. Formal use of the healthcare system mainly took place through direct consultation with specialists.Our study revealed various aspects influencing the illness behaviour of the GPs and their use of the healthcare system. Some aspects also apply to lay patients, but it became clear how strongly illness behaviour is influenced by participants’ activities as physicians. Noteworthy and less described aspects are especially the influence of patients and practice staff, the influence of biographical and professional imprint and the attitudes and values of the physicians.Complex inter-relationships were found between illness behaviour and influencing aspects; these are subjected to a dynamic and recursive process.Conclusions The illness behaviour of German GPs seems to be comprehensively influenced by their activities as responsible healthcare providers. The ability to perceive and reflect in this regards should already be actively promoted in studies and further education. Further research is needed for a better understanding of the inter-relationships.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/9/e051404.full |
| spellingShingle | Sven Schulz Florian Wolf Friederike Hecker Ulf Sauerbrey Illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in Germany and their use of the health care system: a qualitative study BMJ Open |
| title | Illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in Germany and their use of the health care system: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in Germany and their use of the health care system: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in Germany and their use of the health care system: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in Germany and their use of the health care system: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in Germany and their use of the health care system: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | illness behaviour and influencing aspects of general practitioners in germany and their use of the health care system a qualitative study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/9/e051404.full |
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