Xavier F Jimenez1, Ngozi Nkanginieme2, Niyati Dhand3, Matt Karafa4, Karen Salerno4. 1. Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States of America; Quantitative Health Statistics, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States of America. Electronic address: jimenex2@ccf.org. 2. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America. 3. Meridian Partners, Chicago, IL, United States of America. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States of America.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Consultation psychiatrists are often asked to assess factitious disorder (FD), yet this is challenging as confirmation depends on rarely achieved direct evidence of illness-inducing behaviors. Diagnosis is thus based on other variables, such as atypical features of the medical presentation and certain patient behaviors. This study sought to assess a cohort of patients with FD for demographic and clinical variables, but also psychological and behavioral ones unexamined in previous studies. METHODS: 49 previously-identified FD patients at a single site were reviewed retrospectively and variables collected included demographic, medical, psychiatric, social, behavioral, and treatment-related. Descriptive statistical analysis was used. RESULTS: Patients were mostly: 1) under age 40 (82%), 2) female (90%), 3) with past psychiatric (92%), family psychiatric (78%), and traumatic (69%) histories; 4) direct intravenous access (67%); and 7) some exposure to healthcare training (67%). All (100%) subjects had an identifiable family dynamic issue, including household abuse, parental divorce, parental influence/enmeshment, grief, and/or significant other conflict. Financial, emotional, or social incentives were common, and most patients (88%) exhibited at least 4 FD-related behaviors. CONCLUSION: FD represents a complex disorder of abnormal illness behaviors with predisposing developmental and perpetuating sociobehavioral variables previously unexplored. Future investigational, educational, and quality improvement directions are considered.
BACKGROUND: Consultation psychiatrists are often asked to assess factitious disorder (FD), yet this is challenging as confirmation depends on rarely achieved direct evidence of illness-inducing behaviors. Diagnosis is thus based on other variables, such as atypical features of the medical presentation and certain patient behaviors. This study sought to assess a cohort of patients with FD for demographic and clinical variables, but also psychological and behavioral ones unexamined in previous studies. METHODS: 49 previously-identified FD patients at a single site were reviewed retrospectively and variables collected included demographic, medical, psychiatric, social, behavioral, and treatment-related. Descriptive statistical analysis was used. RESULTS:Patients were mostly: 1) under age 40 (82%), 2) female (90%), 3) with past psychiatric (92%), family psychiatric (78%), and traumatic (69%) histories; 4) direct intravenous access (67%); and 7) some exposure to healthcare training (67%). All (100%) subjects had an identifiable family dynamic issue, including household abuse, parental divorce, parental influence/enmeshment, grief, and/or significant other conflict. Financial, emotional, or social incentives were common, and most patients (88%) exhibited at least 4 FD-related behaviors. CONCLUSION: FD represents a complex disorder of abnormal illness behaviors with predisposing developmental and perpetuating sociobehavioral variables previously unexplored. Future investigational, educational, and quality improvement directions are considered.