Review on health-seeking behaviors of patients with allergic rhinitis

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Allergic rhinitis (AR) represents a major challenge in primary care. However, patients’ health-seeking behaviors of AR is unclear that hinders healthcare professional in planning effective health promotion strategies. METHODS: Keywords including “health-seeking behavior” and “allergic rhinitis” were used for searching which yielded 16 publications from 1997 to 2014. Key findings were reviewed to address the captioned issue. RESULT: Four common practices including seeking medical advices, tolerating symptoms, self-medication, and seeking alternative medicine, were identified as patients’ health-seeking behaviors of AR. Around 50% of patients in developed countries sought medical advices and the general practitioner was the first option whereas visiting a specialist only accounted for a few percent. Over 50% of patients acknowledged the nasal symptoms were significant yet tolerable as observed in three US national studies. Self-medication with home stock or over-the-counter drugs was also prevalent. Seeking alternative medicine, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine in Asian countries (3.5% in Hong Kong), was observed. DISCUSSION: Seeking medical advices, tolerating symptoms, self-medication, and seeking alternative medicine were identified as common patients’ health-seeking behaviors of AR. The paucity of literature searched restricted the accurate understanding on health-seeking behaviors of AR across cultures. Findings from this review suggested an underutilization of primary healthcare services in managing AR and the determinants of which are yet to be explored, which will help direct initiatives for managing AR at community level.