Table 2 Summary of themes in relation to preference for blood tests
Motives | Interpretation of results | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|
+ indications: periodical, recurrent or persisting complaints, self-management failed, different pattern of complaints, always, nervous patients, diseases in family, unexplained complaints + goals: proving certainty about good health, establishing diagnosis, excluding somatic disorders + previous experiences: similar complaints, previous explorative blood tests + GP should use active policy + patient requests blood tests, capable to indicate need for testing - patient not taking initiative + patient sent by someone else + identifying with seriously ill people in environment + influence of the media: reports about young people with serious diseases, information about risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and cancer | + tests yield much information: excluding, early detection, concrete data convince people + blood tests reliable + hardly any false positives and false negatives + if abnormal test results do not match patient's presentation: further examinations required, sign of illness without complaints + certainty about health status + sense of being healthy + reassurance | + no wait-and-see: if risk factors are present, patient worried - easily convinced by GP: confidence in GP, satisfied even when expectations are not met - GP should devote more time and attention - preferring explanation to tests + hard or impossible to convince: knowing more about own complaint than doctor, testing necessary for diagnosis, dissatisfied when expectations are not met |