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Screening for psychosocial problems among primary care patients: a pilot study.
1Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa.
Summary
A health index questionnaire helps patients express underlying concerns to doctors, improving consultations. This method proved feasible and acceptable, particularly for psychological complaints, though physician acceptance varied.
Area of Science:
- General Practice
- Psychology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Patient-reported symptoms may not reflect the true underlying health concerns.
- Effective communication is crucial for diagnosing hidden conditions during medical consultations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility and acceptability of using a health index questionnaire to help patients articulate underlying concerns.
- To determine the utility of such questionnaires in primary care settings.
Main Methods:
- A brief health index questionnaire was administered to patients in two family medicine centers.
- 996 patients were invited, and 724 (73%) completed the questionnaire.
- Physician feedback and consultation analysis were used for evaluation.
Main Results:
- The questionnaire method was found to be acceptable to most patients.
- Physicians reported the questionnaire added valuable information in 41% of consultations.
- This utility increased to 73% for consultations involving psychological complaints.
Conclusions:
- The health index questionnaire is a feasible and acceptable tool for eliciting patient concerns in primary care.
- The tool shows particular promise for identifying psychosocial issues.
- Variability in physician acceptance highlights the need for further discussion on integrating such tools into practice.