[Psychiatric, medical and environmental factors in patients suffering from environment-related disorders].
BACKGROUND
A multidisciplinary approach and a multi-modal methodology are needed to assess idiopathic environmental illnesses.


METHODS
61 patients took part in all diagnostic steps.


METHODS
In the Basel pilot research project on environmental illness, a threefold diagnostic approach was established: patients had a medical and allergological examination, a psychiatric and psychological exploration and an environmental analysis of their homes.


RESULTS
There is a clear psychological impact on environmental illness: 46 % of the symptoms could be traced back to psychological factors, and 18 % seemed to be influenced by them. Nevertheless, in 28 % more than one of the three dimensions was seen as important. Values within the self reporting questionnaires show high correspondence. Whereas patients and experts agree in many instances that there are psychological factors, they disagree in attributing clinical relevance to them. This discrepancy is helpful for explaining the difficulties therapists may encounter as to the patients' compliance.


CONCLUSIONS
Environmental illness should be diagnosed and treated on an interdisciplinary basis including psychosomatic medicine.
Brand
Serge
S
Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik, Basel, Switzerland.
Heller
Pia
P
Huss
Anke
A
Bircher
Andreas
A
Braun-Fahrländer
Charlotte
C
Niederer
Markus
M
Schwarzenbach
Simone
S
Waeber
Roger
R
Wegmann
Lukas
L
Küchenhoff
Joachim
J
D000328:Adult; D018876:Environmental Illness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011611:Psychosomatic Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires