Somatized mental disorder among primary care Arab patients: I. Prevalence and clinical and sociodemographic characteristics

The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of somatized mental disorder (SMD) in comparison to psychologized mental disorder (PMD) among a sample of primary health care (PHC) Arab patients, and to investigate the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of SMD. The first stage of st udy was conducted by general practitioners (GPs), using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The second stage was carried out by a psych iatrist using the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS) and an inquiry schedule . Specific operational criteria were used to identify SMD and PMD. The esti mated prevalence rate of SMD among the total screened sample was 12%. SMD p atients constituted 48% of the psychiatric patients identified, whereas, fo r the PMD group, this figure was 42%. Educational level was significantly l ower in the SMD group. Headache, backache, and abdominal pain were the most commonly presented somatic symptoms. The symptoms pursued a chronic and pe rsistent course and most patients experienced multiple symptoms. The most c ommon ICD-10 psychiatric diagnoses among both SMD and PMD patients were mix ed anxiety and depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and mood and adjustment disorders. Recurrent depressive disorder and dysthymia were significantly more prevalent in the PMD group. The severity of psychiatric illness identified was greater among psychologizers than the somatizers of mental disorder. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.