title: Symptoms of patients and escorts in a primary care department in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: In a survey of symptoms experienced by 1000 patients and 1000 patient escorts attending a primary care department in Saudi Arabia, pain was found to be the most frequent cause of a medical consultation. Abdominal pain was the symptom most frequently presented by patients, and the third most frequent symptom experienced by escorts of patients. Thirty-two per cent of escorts of patients had experienced symptoms of illness over the previous three days and 11% had consulted a doctor. Patients presented with an average of three symptoms each and 91% of patients were able to identify the most important symptom triggering a consultation. This was not always the first symptom presented. The nature of symptoms experienced by both patients and patient escorts was found to influence the action they took. The possibility of patients presenting abdominal pain as a symptom signaling problems-of-living was raised.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012803:Sick Role