Tools for Providers to Elicit Health Beliefs
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The following list of questions can help a provider understand a patient’s perception of his/her illness, the social context of the patient's healthcare needs, and the cross-cultural issues that affect the patient's health seeking behaviors.
Perceived Meaning of Illness
- What do you think seems to cause the problem/illness?
- What problems has the illness caused for your child?
- What worries you the most about this problem/illness)
Social Context of Illness
Stress: What is causing the most stress in your life now? How do you cope with it?Social Support: Are there people in your life on whom you can rely for support or help?Resources: Are there any financial problems in the family? Can you afford the basic things your children need? Are you having trouble getting to appointments, or getting time off for medical appointments?
English Proficiency: Do you feel we should have an interpreter join us?
Understanding: Do you feel I have explained things well enough? Do you have any questions?
Acceptance: Do you think you are able to follow the treatment plan? What might make it difficult for you?
Cross-Cultural Issues to Explore
- Please tell me about where your family comes from originally.
- Who have you asked for help/advice about the problem?
- What remedies or treatments have you tried/want to try?
- What were you hoping we would be able to do today?
- How (and by whom) are decisions made by your family about healthcare?
- Who should be present for support or to help in decision-making?
(This list of questions is adapted from several sources including Kleinman, 1980 to address the learning needs of pediatric providers working with LEP patients and families accessing www.dimensionsofculture.com. This list is changed from the list provided by erc@msh.org.)