Illness perceptions are frameworks or working models that
patients construct to make sense of their symptoms and medical
conditions. A patient’s cognitive representation of his or
her illness then guides behavior directed at managing the condition
(Leventhal, Nerenz, & Steele, 1984). An illness perception
comprises a number of interrelated beliefs about an illness
and what it means for the patient’s life. The major components
include how the illness was caused, how long it will last, what
the consequences of the illness are for the patient’s life and
family, the symptoms that are part of the illness, and how the
condition is controlled or cured. Research has demonstrated
that patients’ perceptions of their illness along these dimensions
vary widely, even between patients with similar illnesses
or injuries.