Indicators of childhood adversity in somatisation in general practice.
OBJECTIVE
To identify medical and psychosocial indicators of childhood adversity in somatising patients in primary care.


METHODS
Retrospective questionnaires and interviews.


METHODS
Primary health care in The Netherlands.


METHODS
Three-hundred-and-seventy-four somatising frequent attenders in 27 general practices between 20 and 45 years of age.


METHODS
Major problems in childhood.


RESULTS
The questionnaire on childhood problems reflected acceptable validity against a structured interview in 77 patients (correlation 0.69); however, the item "abuse" was underreported in the questionnaire. Four out of five patients reported one or more major childhood problems. Childhood adversity was indicated independently by chronic difficulties in present relations and by genital-sexual symptoms of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
When GPs want to take a more active approach towards somatisers they may show interest in the childhood and life story of patients, especially when patients are known with chronic difficulties in relations and genital-sexual symptoms.
Schilte
A F
AF
Department of General Practice, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands. bert.schilte@hag.unimaas.nl
Portegijs
P J
PJ
Blankenstein
A H
AH
Latour
M B
MB
van Eijk
J T
JT
Knottnerus
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires