Somatoform disorders in general practice: prevalence, functional impairment and comorbidity with anxiety and depressive disorders.
BACKGROUND
General practitioners play a pivotal part in the recognition and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Identifying somatoform disorders is important for the choice of treatment.


OBJECTIVE
To quantify the prevalence of, and functional impairment associated with, somatoform disorders, and their comorbidity with anxiety/depressive disorders.


METHODS
Two-stage prevalence study: a set of questionnaires was completed by 1046 consecutive patients of general practitioners (aged 25-80 years), followed by a standardised diagnostic interview (SCAN 2.1).


RESULTS
The prevalence of somatoform disorders was 16.1% (95% CI 12.8-19.4). When disorders with only mild impairment were included, the prevalence increased to 21.9%. Comorbidity of somatoform disorders and anxiety/depressive disorders was 3.3 times more likely than expected by chance. In patients with comorbid disorders, physical symptoms, depressive symptoms and functional limitations were additive.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings underline the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach to psychiatric disorders in general practice.
de Waal
Margot W M
MW
Department of General Practice and Nursing Home Medicine, Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands. M.W.M.de_Waal@lumc.nl
Arnold
Ingrid A
IA
Eekhof
Just A H
JA
van Hemert
Albert M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*