Ac. Altamura et al., Prevalence of somatoform disorders in a psychiatric population: an Italiannationwide survey, EUR ARCH PS, 248(6), 1998, pp. 267-271
The survey involved 50 centres comprising both hospital and community psych
iatric care services throughout Italy. Overall, 2620 patients were recruite
d, and of those 2002 (76%) completed the Somatoform Disorders Schedule (SDS
), a CIDI-derived interview. The NOS somatoform disorders (SDs) diagnosis a
ppeared to be the most common (60%) (and they showed the highest number of
co-morbid diagnoses), followed by pain disorders (8%). The prevalence of un
differentiated somatoform and hypochondriactal disorders was 1.6%: older ag
e groups introduction showed a tendency towards higher rates of the latter.
In general, the study found that a significant percentage of patients with
SDs are referred to psychiatric services, but mainly because of other psyc
hopathological problems: in fact, somatic complaints are cross-sectionally
present in different psychiatric nosological categories. This study also em
phasizes some limitations of the current classification of SDs.