COMMUNICATION IN ILLNESS: THE RELATIONSHIP OF NATIONAL ORIGIN TO SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS

This study compares the subjective symptoms recorded by questionnaire, and the diagnoses applied, in 289 adult medical outpatients of six national origins, namely, Canada (Ontario), England, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Scotland. No significant differences were observed in the number or type of symptoms presented among the national groups. In each group, women and patients with psychological diagnoses reported more symptoms. There were considerable differences in the incidence of somatic (organic) and psychological diagnoses between the groups, which did not reflect equivalent variations in the incidence of definite clinical entities. It is suggested that the symptom habits of the groups studied appeared similar, with the method of investigation used, but that difficulties in patient-physician communication may lead to significantly different diagnostic habits for the national groups involved.