Maladaptive Healthcare Seeking: A Comprehensive and Generative Model of Care Seeking Using a Consumer Behavior Lens
摘要
Nearly all individuals in the United States seek healthcare services to preventprevent and treat perceived or anticipated medical issues at some point in their lives. We define healthcare seeking as any action undertaken by individuals who (1) wantwant to maintain good health or perceive themselves as having a health problem and (2) take action for the purpose of finding an appropriate remedy (Oberoi et al. in J Fam Med Prim Care 5:463, 2016). Yet not all individuals seek healthcare when needed and/or in an appropriate manner. Healthcare seeking becomes maladaptive when it is either sought inappropriately (e.g., hypochondriasis) or not sought in a timely manner or at all when needed.