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Degree

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Sociology, 1990.

Abstract

This study examines how Type A behavior relates to illness behavior as conceptualized by Suchman (1965). The illness behavior hypotheses are that Type A individuals will tend to reject the sick role, delay in seeking medical care, seek convenient medical care facilities, be impatient for recovery, and return back to work before they have fully recovered. The health behavior hypothesis is that Type A individuals will be less likely to engage in health promotion behavior. This cross-sectional survey was conducted with the cooperation of a large corporation in Cleveland, Ohio. A detailed questionnaire was sent to 385 managers which examined health promotion and illness behaviors. A total of 210 managers responded for a response rate of 54%. The models were tested using path analysis, yielding support for the hypotheses that Type As may tend to reject the sick role, delay in seeking medical care, be impatient for recovery, and return back to work before a full recovery. There was no relationship of Type A to health promotion behavior. The direct and indirect effects of Type A behavior on the illness behavior stages are discussed. Implications are drawn for future research including the need to test the illness behavior model in a larger, prospective study.

Subject Headings

Sociology, General

Keywords

illness behavior Type A individuals

Advisor

Kyle Kercher

Pages

138p.

Document number: case1054562478
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1054562478

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