UNEXPLAINED PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS - OUTCOME, UTILIZATION OF MEDICAL-CARE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS

The aim of the study was to investigate the recovery and frequency of physician contact in patients with unexplained physical symptoms and t o identify factors associated with persistent disorder. Of 100 consecu tive patients who presented with medically unexplained symptoms to a g eneral medical out-patient clinic, 81 participated in a follow-up stud y. The mean follow-up time was 15 . 2 months (s.D. 4 . 0). At follow-u p, many of the patients with unexplained physical symptoms reported th at they had recovered (30%) or improved (46%) with regard to their pre senting symptoms. Female sex and a high number of symptoms predicted a bad outcome in terms of recovery. Persistence of symptoms was not rel ated to the duration of the symptoms, type of presenting complaint or the presence of psychiatric disorder. Forty per cent of patients with unexplained symptoms did not visit their general practitioner on their own initiative in the year following the initial visit to the clinic. Medical care utilization appeared to be associated with female sex, a ge, number and duration of symptoms, fatigue and psychiatric disorder, especially somatoform disorders. However, the association of a high f requency of physican contact with female sex and psychiatric disorder was not sustained after controlling for possible confounding factors.