Gender differences in prevalence of somatoform disorders in patients visiting primary care centers

The aim of this study was to examine the gender differences in the prevalence of somatoform disorders among a sample of Qatari patients who were visiting primary health care centers and to investigate the severity of diagnostic categories and the most frequent somatic symptoms in these patients. The first stage of the study was conducted with the help of general practitioners, using the somatic symptom module of the Patient Health Questionnaire 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Overall, 2320 subjects were approached, and a total of 1689 patients, of whom 892 were men and 797 were women, agreed to participate in the study. The prevalence rate of somatoform disorders among the total screened sample was 23.9%. The prevalence rate was slightly higher in Qatari women (24.2%) than in Qatari men (23.7%). Housewives (43.5%) and men in administrative posts (37.9%) reported higher somatic symptoms compared to other professions. Prolonged depressive reaction was significantly higher in women compared to men (P = .003). There was a significant gender difference in certain psychiatric diagnostic categories such as depressive episode, recurrent depressive disorder, dysthymia, and brief depressive reaction. Backache was the most common reported symptom in men, whereas headache was more common in women. The present study revealed that the prevalence of somatoform disorders in Qatar is as high as the overall prevalence reported in prior studies done in other primary care settings. The prevalence of somatoform disorders was slightly higher in Qatari women than in men.