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My family dies from heart attacks. How hypercholesterolaemic men refer to their family history

Brorsson, Annika LU ; Troein, Margareta LU orcid ; Lindbladh, Eva LU ; Selander, Staffan ; Widlund, Mona and Råstam, Lennart LU (1995) In Family Practice 12(4). p.433-437
Abstract
Patients often worry considerably about biomedically mild and self-limiting conditions. A previous study on non-selected primary care patients showed that this could be partly explained by frequent associations with cases of serious illness in their family histories. This study further investigated these phenomena in middle aged men with a recent diagnosis of hypercholesterolaemia. Sixty-three out of 453, 35-45-year-old male participants were diagnosed with moderate hypercholesterolaemia (6.5-7.7 mmol/l) in a health survey and received 20-30 minutes of life-style counselling. These sessions were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed with respect to the subjects' references to their family histories. Of the 63 men, 28 (45%) mentioned their... (More)
Patients often worry considerably about biomedically mild and self-limiting conditions. A previous study on non-selected primary care patients showed that this could be partly explained by frequent associations with cases of serious illness in their family histories. This study further investigated these phenomena in middle aged men with a recent diagnosis of hypercholesterolaemia. Sixty-three out of 453, 35-45-year-old male participants were diagnosed with moderate hypercholesterolaemia (6.5-7.7 mmol/l) in a health survey and received 20-30 minutes of life-style counselling. These sessions were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed with respect to the subjects' references to their family histories. Of the 63 men, 28 (45%) mentioned their family history. The main content category in these talks was perceived threat or risk, comprising the seriousness of the event in the family history on one hand and its believed relevance on the other. Fatal, serious or premature disease was discussed. Prevailing lay knowledge and beliefs about hypercholesterolaemia, risk factors and disease causation seemed to determine what conditions in the family history were judged relevant by the men. Several of the men referred to heredity and several regarded emotional closeness important. In a few cases the event referred to mainly functioned as an illustration or example of lay knowledge and beliefs. This study provides support for the view that the family history can play an important role for how asymptomatic patients interpret their risk factors for disease. This is important for the development of consultation skills. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Family Practice
volume
12
issue
4
pages
433 - 437
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:8826061
  • scopus:0029564966
ISSN
1460-2229
DOI
10.1093/fampra/12.4.433
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b743ff75-2ef9-46be-8a70-676f2705f9f5 (old id 1108754)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:01:15
date last changed
2021-01-03 07:20:44
@article{b743ff75-2ef9-46be-8a70-676f2705f9f5,
  abstract     = {{Patients often worry considerably about biomedically mild and self-limiting conditions. A previous study on non-selected primary care patients showed that this could be partly explained by frequent associations with cases of serious illness in their family histories. This study further investigated these phenomena in middle aged men with a recent diagnosis of hypercholesterolaemia. Sixty-three out of 453, 35-45-year-old male participants were diagnosed with moderate hypercholesterolaemia (6.5-7.7 mmol/l) in a health survey and received 20-30 minutes of life-style counselling. These sessions were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed with respect to the subjects' references to their family histories. Of the 63 men, 28 (45%) mentioned their family history. The main content category in these talks was perceived threat or risk, comprising the seriousness of the event in the family history on one hand and its believed relevance on the other. Fatal, serious or premature disease was discussed. Prevailing lay knowledge and beliefs about hypercholesterolaemia, risk factors and disease causation seemed to determine what conditions in the family history were judged relevant by the men. Several of the men referred to heredity and several regarded emotional closeness important. In a few cases the event referred to mainly functioned as an illustration or example of lay knowledge and beliefs. This study provides support for the view that the family history can play an important role for how asymptomatic patients interpret their risk factors for disease. This is important for the development of consultation skills.}},
  author       = {{Brorsson, Annika and Troein, Margareta and Lindbladh, Eva and Selander, Staffan and Widlund, Mona and Råstam, Lennart}},
  issn         = {{1460-2229}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{433--437}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Family Practice}},
  title        = {{My family dies from heart attacks. How hypercholesterolaemic men refer to their family history}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/fampra/12.4.433}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/fampra/12.4.433}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{1995}},
}