[The significance of psychosocial complaints in the initial interview--a study of unselected patients of an internal medicine/polyclinic university ambulatory service]

Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol. 1989 May;39(5):161-7.
[Article in German]

Abstract

In clinical practice one is repeatedly confronted with patients, who report psycho-social problems during the first interview. In this study 128 patients have been examined in the outpatient clinic at the Department of Medicine 1 of the University Hospital in Vienna. The most important issue investigated was to clarify whether or not the psycho-social complaints expressed at the initial interview could be correlated with either functional disorders or somatic disease. Further we tried to determine whether or not the complaints influenced the course of the disease and gave any indication for the presence of a depressive disorder or complicated a somatic disorder by additional psychosomatic complaints. Our results indicate that the expression of psycho-social problems indeed correlates with stronger psychosomatically conditioned body dysfunctions, but do not sufficiently explain whether or not functional disease can be expected. However, the reported psycho-social problems result in a stronger inclination towards depressive mood and lead the patient to his/her own explanation how the illness has developed. Both facts are of importance for the patient-physician relationship and constitute an integral part of the (non-)compliance.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Ambulatory Care
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Interview, Psychological*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders / psychology*
  • Sick Role
  • Social Adjustment*