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Frequent attenders in secondary care: a 3-year follow-up study of patients with medically unexplained symptoms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 April 2003

S. REID ,
T. CRAYFORD ,
A. PATEL ,
S. WESSELY  and
M. HOTOPF
S. REID
Affiliation:
From the Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, GKT School of Medicine, and Institute of Psychiatry, London
T. CRAYFORD
Affiliation:
From the Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, GKT School of Medicine, and Institute of Psychiatry, London
A. PATEL
Affiliation:
From the Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, GKT School of Medicine, and Institute of Psychiatry, London
S. WESSELY
Affiliation:
From the Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, GKT School of Medicine, and Institute of Psychiatry, London
M. HOTOPF
Affiliation:
From the Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, GKT School of Medicine, and Institute of Psychiatry, London
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Abstract

Background. There are few longitudinal studies of patients with medically unexplained symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate outcome in frequent attenders in secondary care who present repeatedly with medically unexplained symptoms.

Method. Forty-eight patients presenting with medically unexplained symptoms, from a sample of 61, participated in a 3-year follow-up study. Psychiatric morbidity, functional impairment and use of services were evaluated.

Results. At follow-up there was a high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity with 69% having at least one psychiatric diagnosis. The sample continued to be high users of a range of health services and substantial functional impairment was reported.

Conclusion. In this group of frequent attenders with medically unexplained symptoms outcome as measured by psychiatric morbidity, service use and functional impairment remained poor after 3 years.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , April 2003 , pp. 519 - 524
Copyright
© 2003 Cambridge University Press

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