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Sick or Sad? A Qualitative Study on How Dutch GPs Deal With Sadness Complaints Among Young Adults

Bibliographic Data

ID13077093
AuthorsEva L van Dijk (University of Groningen, corresponding author), Donald G van Tol (University Medical Center Groningen), Agnes Diemers (0000-0001-9024-5543, University Medical Center Groningen), Albert W Wienen (0000-0001-8491-7702, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences), Laura Batstra (0000-0002-1638-2520, University of Groningen)
Year2022
Volume6
Pages765814-765814
Publication date2022-01-24
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2297-7775 • E-ISSN: 2297-7775
PublisherFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fsoc.2021.765814
PMID35141314
OpenAlexW4207064886
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited18

Feelings of sadness among young adults related to a certain phase of life or to societal factors run the risk of being interpreted as an individual medical problem. Therefore, healthcare professionals should more often widen their perspective and consider de-medicalization as being part of their professional responsibility too. This article presents results from a qualitative interview conducted with 13 GPs in different phases of their career to get more insight into the way they deal with complaints of sadness among young adults. All participants acted proactively but in different ways. Based on the interviews, a typology of three types of general practitioners has been created: the fast referrer, the expert, and the societal GP. There seems to be a paradox in the way GPs think about de-medicalization on a macro level and the way they act on a micro level. Elaborating on Parsons'(1951) classical concept of the sick role, this study introduces the term semi-legitimized sick role to clarify this paradox. The third type, "the societal GP", appears to be the most able to show a more multifactorial view on complaints of sadness. Therefore, this type connects the most to a course of de-medicalization

Anger · Feeling · Medicalization · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Restructuring · Sadness · Social science · Sociology · Typology · Child and Adolescent Health · Gender Studies · Law · Mental Health and Psychiatry · Pharmaceutical industry and healthcare · Psychology · Social Psychology

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    Open Access•Mike Briley, Lépine Lépine•Neuropsychiatric Disease and…•2011

  • The application of vignettes in social and nursing research

    Open Access•Rhidian Hughes, Meg Huby•Journal of Advanced Nursing•2002

  • Outsiders

    Howard S Becker•Outsiders•1985

  • Sociology of diagnosis

    Open Access•Annemarie Jutel•Sociology of Health & Illness•2009

  • The Shifting Engines of Medicalization

    Open Access•Peter Conrad•Journal of Health and Social…•2005

  • Medicalization and Social Control

    Peter Conrad•Annual Review of Sociology•1992

  • The negotiation of the sick role

    Open Access•Nanna Mik‐meyer, Anne Roelsgaard Obling•Sociology of Health & Illness•2012

Citations per year1.5
Citation span2024 - 2026 (3)
Highly citedNo

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