P Fink1. 1. Department of Psychiatric Demography, Aarhus Psychiatric Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study explores the incidence and nature of mental illness among persistent somatisers, and analyses their use of mental health services. METHOD: Individuals with at least ten admissions to non-psychiatric departments during an 8-year period were studied. Persistent somatisers (n = 56) were compared with other frequent users (n = 57) of non-psychiatric services. RESULTS: Of the persistent somatisers, 82% had been examined by a psychiatrist at least once (median, 3 times). Sixteen per cent were mentally retarded, 48% were dependent on alcohol or drugs, and 48% had DSM-III-R personality disorder. The most prevalent ICD-10 diagnoses were anxiety states (54%), depressions (30%), phobias (18%) and psychoses (20%). CONCLUSIONS: Persistent somatisation is associated with severe mental illness and a broad spectrum of heterogeneous psychiatric diagnoses and syndromes. Persistent somatisers impose a serious burden on the mental health care system.
BACKGROUND: This study explores the incidence and nature of mental illness among persistent somatisers, and analyses their use of mental health services. METHOD: Individuals with at least ten admissions to non-psychiatric departments during an 8-year period were studied. Persistent somatisers (n = 56) were compared with other frequent users (n = 57) of non-psychiatric services. RESULTS: Of the persistent somatisers, 82% had been examined by a psychiatrist at least once (median, 3 times). Sixteen per cent were mentally retarded, 48% were dependent on alcohol or drugs, and 48% had DSM-III-R personality disorder. The most prevalent ICD-10 diagnoses were anxiety states (54%), depressions (30%), phobias (18%) and psychoses (20%). CONCLUSIONS: Persistent somatisation is associated with severe mental illness and a broad spectrum of heterogeneous psychiatric diagnoses and syndromes. Persistent somatisers impose a serious burden on the mental health care system.
Authors: H Laubenthal; M Valet; T Sprenger; A Wöller; T R Tölle; H Röpcke; S Wirz; C Schröter; M Schiltenwolf; P Henningsen; T Sundermeier; H J Ebell; N Kohnen; W Häuser Journal: Schmerz Date: 2007-06 Impact factor: 1.107