[Epidemiological approach of inhibition in general practice]

To obtain preliminary data on the prevalence and characteristics of inhibition in an adult population consulting in general practice.

Eight hundred thirteen general practitioners, forming a representative distribution of general medicine clinics in France. Each evaluated, during a study period which did not exceed 2 days in 70% of the cases, 20 consecutive patients using a standard questionnaire, noting age, sex, motivation for consultation, presence of inhibition, inhibition score, and associated diseases (5 were possible). The physicians also scored 12 specific items (attitude, fatigue, feeling of being "blocked", concentration, memory, planning, indecision, inefficiency, creativity, sleep, appetite, sexuality) (0 = absent; 1 = discrete; 2 = moderate). The sum of the scores provided the global inhibition score (maximum = 24).

Among the 15076 patients evaluated (M/F ratio 41.3/58.7; mean age 49.4 +/- 18 years; educational level: French aptitude certificate 44%) one or more of the inhibition items was the motivation for consultation in 23.9% and at least one item was scored in 80% of the cases. Fatigue was scored in more than half the patients. The percentage of patients considered to be inhibited (I) was 35.8% (M/F ratio 35.3/64.7; mean age 51.9 +/- 18 years). Compared with the non inhibited population (NI), the items most frequently associated with and most characteristic of inhibition were severe fatigue (I = 42.4% vs 8.7 NI), sleep disorders, difficulties in concentrating or memory, and a feeling of being "blocked". The symptom intensity score was 2.9 +/- 3.3, 10.9 +/- 5 and 15.9 +/- 4.7 in populations NI, I and PI (patients considered to be the most inhibited) respectively. This suggested that there is a correlation between a high score and presence of inhibition and its intensity. Anxiety was invariably described in all three subpopulations, but depression was the most discriminating factor (3.7, 33.9, and 67.2 for NI, I and PI respectively).

These preliminary data show an unsuspected high frequency of inhibition in patients consulting in general practice. Inhibition was more frequently observed in women and in older patients inhibition showed a characteristic physical, intellectual and psychic symptomatology dominated by fatigue and increased in intensity when associated with a depressive syndrome.