EFFECTS OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT AT A GENERAL-HOSPITAL - FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION IN PATIENTS WITH SOMATIZATION

Over a period of 35 month patients with psychic disorders were treated by a psychological consultation-liaison-service during their stay at a general hospital. A follow-up investigation using a questionnaire wa s carried out in 1990 in patients with somatization. 66.6% of the pati ents with somatization took part in the investigation. 47.6% of these patients initiated a psychosomatic treatment after discharge from hosp ital. 62.8% of the patients described their general state of health as improved. The frequency of symptoms and the amount of restrictions in cause of symptoms could be explained by two factors: Patients without an opportunity to continue a psychosomatic treatment and patients who anticipated negative consequences in case of a psychosomatic treatmen t reported significantly more complaints and a worse health status.