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Symptom presentation, interventions, and outcome of emotionally-distressed patients in primary care
Kurt Fritzsche1, Hagen Sandholzer, Edda Wetzler-Burmeister
1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. kurt.fritzsche@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Background:
Patients with psychosocial problems often present somatic symptoms in primary care.
Objective:
The authors compare interventions and outcomes of emotionally-distressed patients by presenting physical disease, somatoform symptoms, or psychological symptoms.
Method:
General practitioners (N=191) documented data from 1,286 patients with psychosocial problems. Experts rated the presented reasons for encounter.
Results:
Somatoform symptoms, as well as physical disease, result in patients' receiving physical treatments. Psychologically-oriented treatment is more likely with psychological presentation, but not significantly related to somatoform symptoms.
Conclusion:
These findings underline the importance of a specific treatment approach for patients with somatoform symptoms, so as to avoid inappropriate treatment.
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