The General Practitioner's Consultation Approaches to Medically Unexplained Symptoms: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Psychosomatic Medicine
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS) affect 10-15% of primary care patients.
• Current MUS definitions are descriptive, lacking specific diagnostic criteria for primary care.
• General Practitioner (GP) categorization of MUS patients varies significantly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how GPs utilize the definition of MUS in practice.
• To understand the management strategies GPs employ for patients with MUS.
• To explore GPs' reflections on the course and prognosis of MUS.

Main Methods:

• Grounded theory approach utilized for data collection.
• Five focus group interviews conducted with GPs.
• Interviews explored MUS management and practitioner reflections.

Main Results:

• MUS consultations are patient-centered and often span multiple appointments.
• Three distinct consultation types identified: 'searching for a disease,' 'going by the routine,' and 'following various paths.'
• Consultation approaches ranged from purely biomedical to offering multiple explanations, influenced by GP, patient, and context.

Conclusions:

• The diagnosis of MUS is contextually dependent.
• The consultation process significantly shapes the diagnostic journey for MUS patients.