ABSTRACT
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 126 Lay Health Knowledge .......................................................................................... 128
Why Study Lay Health Knowledge? ................................................................. 128 Dening Health ................................................................................................. 130 Health Maintenance and Disease Prevention .................................................... 131 Lay Views of Medicines and Drugs .................................................................. 132
The Experience of Illness ....................................................................................... 134 The Sick Role .................................................................................................... 135
Access to the Sick Role ................................................................................ 135 Lay Legitimization of the Sick Role ............................................................ 136
Self-Help Groups ................................................................................................... 137 Professional-Patient Relationships ........................................................................ 137 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 139 Further Reading ..................................................................................................... 139 References .............................................................................................................. 140
KEY POINTS
• Formal ‘expert’ knowledge, including that of pharmacists, is increasingly being challenged, and people’s experiences of trial and error and having ‘gone through it’ can carry as much authority or legitimacy as professionals’ knowledge.
