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Article History:
Received: 21 Oct. 2017
Accepted: 12 Dec. 2017
ePublished: 7 Jan. 2018
Keywords:
Feelings, Health seeking behavior, Women's health, Qualitative research
Abstract
Background: Despite the important role of feelings in health care seeking behavior (HCSB), this subject has not yet been adequately investigated. HCSB-related feelings begin with the onset of disease symptoms and persist in different forms after treatment. The aim of current study was to explore the feelings that women of reproductive age experience when they seek health care.
Methods: In this deductive, qualitative content analysis, participants were selected by purposeful sampling. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 17 women of reproductive age and 5 health care staffs in Qom, Iran were carried out until data saturation was achieved. Qualitative data were concurrently analyzed by deductive content analysis, using the Health Promotion Model (HPM). The MAXQDA10 software was used to manage qualitative data analysis.
Results: Three main categories were drawn from data to explain the HCSB-related feelings of participants consisting of (1) feeling of inner satisfaction with the treatment with 2 subcategories including "peace of mind" and "feeling alive", (2) multiple roles of fear with 5 subcategories including "fear about the consequences of delay", "fear of having hidden diseases", "fear of unknown experiences", "fear of hearing bad news" and "fear of medical errors" and (3) uncomfortable feelings with 3 subcategories including "feeling uneasy when attending health facility", "feeling embarrassed" and "feeling worthless due to dealing the doctor".
Conclusion: This study revealed that the inner feelings of women varied widely, ranging from positive or motivating feelings to negative or inhibitory ones, given their experiences with the formal health care system and the current situation of medical and health services. Highlighting patients' perceived inner satisfaction and reducing fear and uncomfortable feelings by adopting culture-based practical strategies can enhance women's HCSB.
Introduction
There are various definitions for health care seeking behavior (HCSB), but 3 phases are shared by all these definitions: Identifying symptoms; perceiving the nature of illness and seeking care in home at first and then, if needed, seeking health care services, medication outside the home and compliance.1 Throughout these phases, many factors may influence individual decision to choose a treatment. In a comprehensive approach, seeking care depends on individual factors (age, gender,...