Explain the concept of perceived severity of an illness

The degree of seriousness an individual associates with contracting a particular illness, disease, or injury is known as perceived severity. Perceived severity includes concepts such as an individual's expectations about the scope and duration of symptoms and the possibility of a cure associated with a given disease. For example, in the case of cancer, an individual's perception of severity may include how serious he considers the symptoms, the effect the disease and treatment might have on himself and his family, the chances of being cured, and the possibility of death. An individual's perception of severity is not a fixed idea because it can change over time as knowledge, treatment options, and stigmas change. Many diseases that were once untreatable are now curable with antibiotics. The perceived severity of these diseases, such as tuberculosis and syphilis, is often much lower now than in the past because of effective treatment options.