The project contributes to the development of an integrative theoretical framework of illness behaviour and will provide an important test case for institutional theories and the theory of frame selection. It analyzes how social networks and institutional features of the healthcare system influence the decision making of healthcare seeking. We collect survey data on people above 65 that will provide a unique data source on the healthcare needs of older people and the way they manage these needs. We analyze decision making regarding medical conditions, the interpretation of symptoms, and the utilization of healthcare, and generate information about the extent and variety of self-care strategies.