title: Distress and attitudes in patients perceived as hypochondriacal by medical staff.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of patients perceived by general physicians as hypochondriacal. The authors requested physicians at a general hospital to refer patients for a study of hypochondriasis. In order to measure depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms, the authors administered several rating and self-rating scales, and to measure hypochondriacal attitudes they administered the Illness Attitude Scales (IAS) and the Illness Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ). The referred patients (N = 29) had more psychiatric disorders, were more depressed and more anxious, and had more severe somatic symptoms than matched medical patients who had not been referred. Self-rated hypochondriacal fears and beliefs did not differ significantly between the groups. Five of the referred patients (17%) whose initial diagnosis was hypochondriasis were subsequently found to have physical diseases that accounted for their symptoms. The implications of these findings for treatment are discussed.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Kellner
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Schneider-Braus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012803:Sick Role