What four characteristics of symptoms influence how people respond to disease, and how? Give brief examples.

1. The visibility of the symptom
A. People whose symptoms are easier to see are more likely to look for medical help
and do so sooner. Even when symptoms are visible to individuals, they are likely to
wait longer to seek help if the symptoms are not visible to others, as in the case of
Lance Armstrong.
B. Waiting until symptoms are more visible can result in a worse condition and fewer options for treating it.
2. The perceived severity of the symptom
A. People are motivated to seek help more when they perceive symptoms as severe than when they think they are less serious. For instance, Lance Armstrong initially attributed his cancer symptoms to hard training, flu, a cracked sinus, etc. and did not seek medical care as these causes were less serious than cancer.
B. The patient's perception of symptom severity differs from the physician's.
3. The extent to which the symptom interferes with the patient's life
A. People are more likely to seek medical help when their symptoms interfere more with their normal activities and quality of life. For example, Lance Armstrong ignored his symptoms until they interfered with riding his bicycle, at which point he sought medical care.
4. The frequency and persistence of the symptoms
A. People are most likely to seek medical care when their symptoms are both severe and continuous.
B. Symptoms that are intermittent (i.e. they come and go) are less likely to prompt people to engage in illness behavior.
Symptoms that are mild rather than severe will still motivate people to seek medical attention if they are persistent (i.e. they continue uninterrupted over time).