Teaching medical students about medically unexplained illnesses: a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
This study examined how an interactive seminar focusing on two medically unexplained illnesses, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia, influenced medical student attitudes toward CFS, a more strongly stigmatized illness.


METHODS
Forty-five fourth year medical students attended a 90 minute interactive seminar on the management of medically unexplained illnesses that was exemplified with CFS and fibromyalgia. A modified version of the CFS attitudes test was administered immediately before and after the seminar.


RESULTS
Pre-seminar assessment revealed neutral to slightly favorable toward CFS. At the end of the seminar, significantly more favorable attitudes were found toward CFS in general (t (42) = 2.77; P < 0.01) and for specific items that focused on (1) supporting more CFS research funding (t (42) = 4.32; P < 0.001; (2) employers providing flexible hours for people with CFS (t (42) = 3.52, P < 0.01); and (3) viewing CFS as not primarily a psychological disorder (t (42) = 2.87, P < 0.01). Thus, a relatively brief exposure to factual information on specific medically unexplained illnesses was associated with more favorable attitudes toward CFS in fourth year medical students.


CONCLUSIONS
This type of instruction may lead to potentially more receptive professional attitudes toward providing care to these underserved patients.
Friedberg
Fred
F
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stony Brook University, New York 11794-8790, USA. Fred.Friedberg@stonybrook.edu
Sohl
Stephanie J
SJ
Halperin
Peter J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011287:Prejudice; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education; D013001:Somatoform Disorders; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*