Table 1.
Factors Influencing Decisions to Consult Physicians Among Older Adults in Three Rural North Carolina Counties (N=62).
| Decision Factor | Counts |
|---|---|
| Chronic Disease | 36 |
| Acute Symptom | 52 |
| Symptom Characteristics | |
| Severity | 36 |
| Unknown Cause | 18 |
| New or Unusual | 28 |
| Persists or Worsens | 37 |
| Potential Seriousness | 30 |
| Lay Treatment Experience | |
| No Knowledge of Lay Treatment | 19 |
| Lay Treatment Ineffective | 38 |
| Physician as Gatekeeper | 10 |
*
Counts based on all references to physician consultation, both in response to direct questions and indirectly in describing symptom and chronic disease management.