Functional somatic symptoms and hypochondriasis among general practice patients: a pilot study.

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Psychosomatic Medicine
• Healthcare Utilization Research

Background:

• Functional somatic symptoms (FSS) are common in general practice.
• The comorbidity of FSS with hypochondriasis requires further investigation.
• Understanding the long-term impact of FSS subtypes is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of FSS in a general practice setting.
• To explore the association between FSS and hypochondriasis.
• To examine the clinical relevance and healthcare utilization patterns of FSS patients with and without hypochondriasis over a 3-year follow-up period.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 78 general practice patients was assessed.
• Functional somatic symptoms (FSS) were diagnosed.
• The Whitely index was used to screen for hypochondriasis.
• A 3-year follow-up evaluated clinic utilization and health outcomes.

Main Results:

• 13 out of 78 patients were diagnosed with FSS.
• Eight FSS patients (61.5%) screened positive for hypochondriasis.
• FSS patients with hypochondriasis showed significantly higher general practice clinic utilization compared to those without hypochondriasis.
• One patient with FSS and hypochondriasis developed a serious physical disease during follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Hypochondriasis is a relevant comorbidity in patients with FSS in primary care.
• FSS patients with comorbid hypochondriasis exhibit increased healthcare seeking behavior.
• Longitudinal studies are essential to understand the trajectory and impact of FSS subtypes.