Beliefs about illness causation among Turkish and white British people living in a deprived inner London district

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Abstract
Descriptive data are presented on health beliefs and illness causation among smokers from Turkish and white British backgrounds living in an inner London district. The collective sample formed the intervention groups and control groups of an intervention study on smoking. While the health promotion intervention on smoking was ineffective among these two groups, in comparison with controls, the surveys provided information about these groups' attitudes to health and illness. The results indicated clear areas for health promotion to target. Factors both internal and external to the individual's control were mentioned as causes of illness, and the Turkish respondents were more likely to believe that their health was outside their immediate control. The lack of control they felt over their health is worth targeting. When asked to describe what it is like “when you are healthy” most respondents gave replies indicating positive conceptions of health (e.g. “happy”), rather than negative concepts. This was unexpected in view of the literature, but perhaps reflects changing attitudes with increased awareness of health issues.

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