Symptom Presentation, Interventions, and Outcome of Emotionally-Distressed Patients in Primary Care

BackgroundPatients with psychosocial problems often present somatic symptoms in primary care.ObjectiveThe authors compare interventions and outcomes of emotionally-distressed patients by presenting physical disease, somatoform symptoms, or psychological symptoms.MethodGeneral practitioners (N = 191) documented data from 1,286 patients with psychosocial problems. Experts rated the presented reasons for encounter.ResultsSomatoform symptoms, as well as physical disease, result in patients’ receiving physical treatments. Psychologicallyoriented treatment is more likely with psychological presentation, but not significantly related to somatoform symptoms.ConclusionThese findings underline the importance of a specific treatment approach for patients with somatoform symptoms, so as to avoid inappropriate treatment.