Lay theories of illness and their influences on doctor-patient relationships

Abstract: Lay theories of illness are a collection of lay people’s knowledge, explanations, and attitudes toward a particular disease. Compared with medical professionals, lay people are more concerned with the pathogenic effects of psychological, family and social factors than biological factors. They choose diverse medical treatments rather than follow the standardized medical model; they are more willing to treat the disease experience as a special issue of personal life and develop a constructive understanding. The discrepancies between lay theories of illness and scientific medical theories can lower patient’s satisfaction with medical care, trust in medical practitioners, and adherence to doctor’s advice, thereby affecting treatment outcomes. It is believed that studying Chinese lay theories of illness, their impact on doctor–patient relationships and the social psychological mechanism thereof, in the context of the Chinese medical culture and medical system, will provide useful suggestions for reducing the current tension between doctors and patients in China.