The pattern of somatization symptoms at the Ibadan Teaching Hospital Psychiatric Clinic

A six-month cross-sectional study of consecutive new referrals at the psychiatric clinic of a large general hospital was carried out, aimed at highlighting the pattern of somatization symptoms. Two hundred and six new patients attended the clinic in the period of study. Of this number, 74 (35.9%) presented predominantly with these symptoms. Significantly more males than females had these symptoms. Vague, poorly localised aches and pains were the commonest symptoms complained of by the somatizers. Most of them had each at least three of these symptoms and the symptoms had been commonly present for at least six months before presentation in hospital. Comparatively, few of those with predominant somatic symptoms also spontaneously reported vegetative and psychological symptoms of psychic distress, especially insomnia, palpitations and free-floating anxiety. Although somatization symptoms cut across socio-demographic and clinical diagnostic categories and were experienced in all parts of the body, these symptoms were much commoner among those aged 21 to 40 years, of lower socio-economic status and with a diagnosis of neurosis. Anxiety and depressive neurosis most commonly presented with widespread somatic symptoms. These findings are compared with the results of previous studies and the implications were discussed.