Characteristics and economic burden of patients with somatoform disorders in Chinese general hospitals: a multicenter cross-sectional study.
Characteristic
Economic burden
General hospital
Self-screening Questionnaire for Somatic Symptoms
Somatoform disorders
Journal
Annals of general psychiatry
ISSN: 1744-859X
Titre abrégé: Ann Gen Psychiatry
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101236515
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
12 Aug 2023
12 Aug 2023
Historique:
received:
16
03
2023
accepted:
23
07
2023
medline:
13
8
2023
pubmed:
13
8
2023
entrez:
12
8
2023
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
In China, patients with somatoform disorders (SFD) often seek medical treatment repeatedly in outpatient clinics of general hospitals, which increases unreasonable medical expenses. It is imperative to provide early screening to these patients and specialized treatment to reduce the unnecessary cost. This study aimed to screen patients with SFD in general hospitals using a new Chinese questionnaire and explore the characteristics and economic burden of these patients. Patients (n = 1497) from the outpatient department of neurology, cardiology and gastroenterology of three large general hospitals were included. Participants were screened using a newly developed questionnaire, the Self-screening Questionnaire for Somatic Symptoms (SQSS), to identify the patients with SFD (total SQSS score ≥ 29 points). We compared the demographics and clinical information of patients with and without SFD. Logistic regression was used to explore potential factors related to medical expenses, visits to doctors and sick leave days taken. The frequency of detection of patients with SFD was 17.03%. There were significant differences in employment, doctor visits, symptom duration, medical expenses, sick leave days, PHQ-15 scores, and PHQ-9 scores between patients with SFD and without SFD. General nonspecific somatic symptoms were frequently present in patients with SFD. Several potential factors were associated with higher medical expenses, repeated doctor visits, and sick leave days taken in the regression analysis. The findings indicate that patients with SFD are common in general hospitals, and their direct and indirect economic burden is higher than that of non-SFD patients, which indicates that more screening effort should be made to this group to early identify their problems. Certain characteristics were identified among patients with SFD and several factors were associated with negative consequences of SFD, all of which might be prevented by developing a preventive intervention program to reduce the economic burden of the patients.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
In China, patients with somatoform disorders (SFD) often seek medical treatment repeatedly in outpatient clinics of general hospitals, which increases unreasonable medical expenses. It is imperative to provide early screening to these patients and specialized treatment to reduce the unnecessary cost. This study aimed to screen patients with SFD in general hospitals using a new Chinese questionnaire and explore the characteristics and economic burden of these patients.
METHODS
METHODS
Patients (n = 1497) from the outpatient department of neurology, cardiology and gastroenterology of three large general hospitals were included. Participants were screened using a newly developed questionnaire, the Self-screening Questionnaire for Somatic Symptoms (SQSS), to identify the patients with SFD (total SQSS score ≥ 29 points). We compared the demographics and clinical information of patients with and without SFD. Logistic regression was used to explore potential factors related to medical expenses, visits to doctors and sick leave days taken.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The frequency of detection of patients with SFD was 17.03%. There were significant differences in employment, doctor visits, symptom duration, medical expenses, sick leave days, PHQ-15 scores, and PHQ-9 scores between patients with SFD and without SFD. General nonspecific somatic symptoms were frequently present in patients with SFD. Several potential factors were associated with higher medical expenses, repeated doctor visits, and sick leave days taken in the regression analysis.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicate that patients with SFD are common in general hospitals, and their direct and indirect economic burden is higher than that of non-SFD patients, which indicates that more screening effort should be made to this group to early identify their problems. Certain characteristics were identified among patients with SFD and several factors were associated with negative consequences of SFD, all of which might be prevented by developing a preventive intervention program to reduce the economic burden of the patients.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37573334
doi: 10.1186/s12991-023-00457-y
pii: 10.1186/s12991-023-00457-y
pmc: PMC10423408
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
30Subventions
Organisme : Beijing Hospitals Authority Clinical Medicine Development of Special Funding, China
ID : ZYLX201815
Organisme : Beijing Hospitals Authority Young Talents Training Programme, China
ID : QML20181903
Organisme : Capital Health Development Research Programme, China
ID : 2016-1-2121
Informations de copyright
© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
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