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Medically unexplained symptoms: an epidemiological study in seven specialities.
C Nimnuan1, M Hotopf, S Wessely
1Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, Guy's King's and St. Thomas' School of Medicine and Institute of Psychiatry, 103 Denmark Hill, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
|July 13, 2001
Summary
Medically unexplained symptoms are common, affecting over half of patients in some clinics. Being female, younger, and employed are associated risk factors, highlighting the need for better medical training and management.
Area of Science:
- General Internal Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Gynecology
Background:
- Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) pose a diagnostic challenge in healthcare.
- Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for MUS is crucial for effective patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS).
- To identify risk factors associated with MUS across various medical specialities.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 890 new outpatients from seven clinics in London.
- Demographic and clinical data were collected, with 582 (65%) patients returning questionnaires.
Main Results:
- 52% of patients met criteria for medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), with the highest prevalence (66%) in gynecology.
- MUS were linked to being female, younger, and employed. Psychiatric morbidity was not directly associated with MUS but with multiple symptoms.
- Patients with MUS reported less disability but higher use of alternative treatments and attributed illness to physical rather than lifestyle factors.
Conclusions:
- Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are highly prevalent in general/internal medicine and specific specialities.
- Current medical training and management strategies require adaptation to address the high incidence of MUS.