Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
[Somatoform disorders in general practice: prevalence, functional limitations and comorbidity with anxiety and
M W M de Waal1, I A Arnold, J A H Eekhof
1Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum, afd. Public Health en Eerstelijnsgeneeskunde, Postbus 2088, 2301 CB Leiden.
Objective:
To quantify the prevalence of, and functional impairment associated with, somatoform disorders in general practice and their comorbidity with anxiety and depression.
Design:
Prevalence study.
Method:
In the first phase of a two-stage prevalence study from April 2000 up to December 2001, a questionnaire was completed by 1046 consecutive attendees at general practices, aged 25-79 years (n = 1778). This was followed in the second phase by a standardised diagnostic interview ('Schedules for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry'; SCAN 2.1) in a stratified sample of 473 patients. In the analyses, the prevalence figures were estimated by weighting back to the original attending population.
Results:
The prevalence ofsomatoform disorders was 16% (95% CI: 12.8-19.4). Comorbidity of somatoform disorders and anxiety or depression disorders was 3.3 times more likely than would be expected by chance. Somatoform disorders as well as anxiety or depressive disorders were associated with substantial functional impairment. In patients with comorbid disorders, physical symptoms, depressive symptoms and functional limitations were proportionately increased.
Conclusion:
These findings underline the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach covering anxiety and depressive disorders as well as somatoform disorders in general practice.
Related Concept Videos
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Social Anxiety Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder