title: Age, affective distress, and illness detection in patients evaluated for gastrointestinal complaints.
abstract: A study of 260 patients was conducted in 1990 using a questionnaire that was designed to measure and assess their recall of symptom patterns, symptom distress levels, symptom interpretation, and physician-recommended treatment plans. The questionnaire was mailed 6-18 months after they had undergone a gastrointestinal workup for unexplained chest or abdominal pain. The authors found comparably high rates of both younger patients (age < 65) and older patients (age > or = 65) reporting symptom patterns sufficient to meet DSM-III criteria for panic, generalized anxiety, and depressive disorders. For younger but not older patients, the number of symptom complaints was related to their recall of a stress-related diagnosis made by the physician, which was less frequent for older patients. The older patients less often identified their symptoms as tension-related. Further research is needed concerning symptom reporting, illness attribution, and physician recognition of emotional etiology among elderly and younger patients with somatizing disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stroehlein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires