ABSTRACT
Research shows that lay theories of illness today are based on essentially the same explanatory framework of health and illness as they were 300 years ago (Schober & Lacroix, 1991). People appear to regulate their health-related behaviour according to these frameworks: lay theories guide interpretations of and coping with health events, entry into and use of medical treatment, as well as evaluations of treatment effects. Illness perceptions are an important factor in how patients manage their illness (Bradley et al., 1987; Hampson, Glasgow & Zeiss, 1994; Jensen & Karoly, 1992; Lacroix et al., 1991; De Valle & Norman, 1992; Williams & Keefe, 1991).
