C Paul van Wilgen1, Maaike Koning, Theo K Bouman. 1. Transcare, Transdisciplinary Pain Management Centre, Barkmolenstraat 196, 9723 DM, Groningen, The Netherlands, c.p.vanwilgen@online.nl.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Somatizing patients are considered a challenge to health care professionals. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the responses of different health care professionals' to patients with headache with different presentations. METHOD: Medical professionals (n = 77), clinical psychologists (n = 40), and psychology students (n = 115) were shown with four different manifestations of headache (neutral, somatic trauma, anxious-depressed, and severe somatizing). Health professionals rated their initial cognitive and emotional responses using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: The severe somatizing and anxious-depressed patients with headache evoked significantly more negative cognitive and emotional responses in all three samples. Even brief exposure to a patient's story yields specific initial responses from various health care professionals irrespective of their disciplines. CONCLUSION: Patients with headache and with a distressed presentation evoke significantly more negative cognitive and emotional responses in different health care professionals. Health care professionals should be more aware of their own response to difficult patients; in this way they will be more capable of managing this patient group.
BACKGROUND: Somatizing patients are considered a challenge to health care professionals. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the responses of different health care professionals' to patients with headache with different presentations. METHOD: Medical professionals (n = 77), clinical psychologists (n = 40), and psychology students (n = 115) were shown with four different manifestations of headache (neutral, somatic trauma, anxious-depressed, and severe somatizing). Health professionals rated their initial cognitive and emotional responses using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: The severe somatizing and anxious-depressedpatients with headache evoked significantly more negative cognitive and emotional responses in all three samples. Even brief exposure to a patient's story yields specific initial responses from various health care professionals irrespective of their disciplines. CONCLUSION:Patients with headache and with a distressed presentation evoke significantly more negative cognitive and emotional responses in different health care professionals. Health care professionals should be more aware of their own response to difficult patients; in this way they will be more capable of managing this patient group.
Authors: José M Aiarzaguena; Gonzalo Grandes; Agustín Salazar; Idoia Gaminde; Alvaro Sánchez Journal: Scand J Prim Health Care Date: 2008 Impact factor: 2.581