[Psychosocial problem disclosure during primary care consultations].
OBJECTIVE
To examine how primary care patients with psychosocial problems actually introduce and present these topics. To examine the influence of some personality traits (emotional dependency and health locus of control) on psychosocial problem disclosure.


METHODS
"Case control". Cases had a GHQ-12 score equal or higher than three. Controls were matched with cases according to GP, GPs' attribution of absence or presence of emotional distress sex, age and presence of chronic illness.


METHODS
Six single handed primary care practices.


METHODS
Clinical and Socio-demographic data, Social Problems List, List of 12 Threatening Life Events, GHQ-12, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control, Interpersonal Dependency Inventory and a Social Support Index.


RESULTS
The introduction of psychosocial topics by patients is related to the attribution of emotional distress by GP. Patients identified correctly as not distressed present less often psychosocial topics compared to patients recognised as distressed. Distressed patients not recognised as such more often than the others did not offer any psychosocial cue. The personality measures did not influence the presentation of psychosocial problems.


CONCLUSIONS
The lack of psycho-social cues from patients and of patient-centred skills contributed to the non recognition of emotional distressed patients. GPs' active facilitation of the presentation of psychosocial topics in such patients would improve the recognition of emotional distress.
Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Servizio di Psicologia Medica, Università di Verona, Verona. lidia@borgoroma.univr.it
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Del Piccolo
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires