A De Jongh1. 1. Department of Social Dentistry and Dental Health Education, Academic Centre for Dentistry-Amsterdam, Louwesweg 1, 1066 EA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. info@psycho-trauma.nl
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study was a first attempt to derive an estimate of the likely incidence of somatization-specific behaviour in a dental setting and its relationship with both somatic symptoms and symptoms of depression. METHODS: Somatization-specific behaviour was operationalized as reporting of inexplicable dental symptoms (eg pain), remarkable frequent attendance at a dental surgery, inexplicably high treatment use or unreasonable requests with regard to treatment. RESULTS: Of the 309 patients surveyed, 8.7%o fulfilled one or more of the criteria for somatization-specific behaviour. This was particularly manifested by a high attendance rate (6.8%). Women exhibited somatization-specific behaviour significantly more often (73%) than men (27%9). Support was found for the hypothesis that individuals exhibiting characteristics of somatization-specific behaviour would present themselves to dentists more often with dental complaints and would suffer more from symptoms of depression than patients that did not display these characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that somatization is a factor in dental practice.
OBJECTIVES: This study was a first attempt to derive an estimate of the likely incidence of somatization-specific behaviour in a dental setting and its relationship with both somatic symptoms and symptoms of depression. METHODS: Somatization-specific behaviour was operationalized as reporting of inexplicable dental symptoms (eg pain), remarkable frequent attendance at a dental surgery, inexplicably high treatment use or unreasonable requests with regard to treatment. RESULTS: Of the 309 patients surveyed, 8.7%o fulfilled one or more of the criteria for somatization-specific behaviour. This was particularly manifested by a high attendance rate (6.8%). Women exhibited somatization-specific behaviour significantly more often (73%) than men (27%9). Support was found for the hypothesis that individuals exhibiting characteristics of somatization-specific behaviour would present themselves to dentists more often with dental complaints and would suffer more from symptoms of depression than patients that did not display these characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that somatization is a factor in dental practice.
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