"I was pretty sure I had the 'flu": qualitative description of confirmed-influenza symptoms

Social Science & Medicine
Annemarie Jutel, Elizabeth Banister

Abstract

Influenza is a common infectious disease, yet its diagnosis is rarely confirmed, rather is presumed in the presence of non-specific clinical symptoms. Public health organisations enlist the lay person in the diagnostic process, as infection containment initiatives focus on encouraging individuals with influenza-like illness to stay at home, seeking medical attention only in the presence of complications. While lay self-diagnosis of influenza has been confirmed to be neither specific nor sensitive, little is known about how people with confirmed-influenza infection describe their illness. In this article we report the descriptions of influenza by 21 individuals with rapid antigen test-kit confirmation of influenza A or B and we discuss their recommendations for management of future influenza infection. Semi-structured interviews reveal that the variability in symptoms and severity of disease makes a standard description of influenza elusive. Almost all participants had a cough, sweats, runny nose and muscle aches, but the prominence of these symptoms varied significantly between participants. Most participants were preoccupied with diagnostic certainty, and would seek medical attention in a future similar illness episode. This s...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1989·Social Science & Medicine·A de Swaan
Jan 1, 1995·Journal of Health and Social Behavior·P Brown
May 1, 1995·The British Journal of Clinical Psychology·J Wright, S Morley
Sep 29, 2001·Journal of Applied Microbiology·C W Potter
Jan 23, 1965·British Medical Journal·J E OLIVER
Feb 25, 2005·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Stephanie A CallW Paul McKinney
Jan 19, 2008·Research in Nursing & Health·Gina Novick
Jan 15, 2010·BMJ : British Medical Journal·Catherine F HoulihanUli Schwab
Feb 5, 2010·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·Tom KotsimbosUNKNOWN Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand H1N1 Influenza 09 Task Force
Dec 28, 2010·Social Science & Medicine·Lindsay PriorHayley Prout
Oct 25, 2011·BMJ Open·Annemarie JutelDon Bandaranayake
Jul 26, 2012·Sociology of Health & Illness·Willy Pedersen, Sveinung Sandberg

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 8, 2016·Social Science & Medicine·Louise LocockSue Ziebland
Apr 13, 2015·Social Science & Medicine·Deborah Lupton, Annemarie Jutel
May 6, 2015·The Journal of Infectious Diseases·Marc R MillerKatherine A Poehling
Apr 16, 2018·Primary Health Care Research & Development·Hiroki MaitaHiroyuki Kato
Mar 14, 2019·The Laryngoscope·Ryan S FerenceHoward D Stupak
Apr 23, 2019·PloS One·Mackwellings PhiriNicola Desmond
Jun 9, 2020·Global Public Health·Bruna Tresànchez-Lacorte, Albert Figueras
Jun 10, 2017·Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis·Baruch FischhoffRoxane Cohen Silver
Apr 7, 2020·NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine·Hiroki MaitaHiroyuki Kato

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.