Psychiatric disorder and functional somatic symptoms as predictors of health care use

Data from Wave 1 of the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area study were used to examine how functional somatic symptoms and other psychiatric disorders relate to use of health care. Panic disorder and functional somatic symptoms were strongly linked to use of general medical services while depression showed such a relationship only among females. Panic disorder and depression also showed strong association with use of mental health services, but functional somatic symptoms showed only a weak relationship. Multivariable models suggest that functional somatic symptoms lead to selective use of general medical services over mental health services.