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Symptom presentation, interventions, and outcome of emotionally-distressed patients in primary care.

BACKGROUND
Patients with psychosocial problems often present somatic symptoms in primary care.


OBJECTIVE
The authors compare interventions and outcomes of emotionally-distressed patients by presenting physical disease, somatoform symptoms, or psychological symptoms.


METHOD
General practitioners (N=191) documented data from 1,286 patients with psychosocial problems. Experts rated the presented reasons for encounter.


RESULTS
Somatoform symptoms, as well as physical disease, result in patients' receiving physical treatments. Psychologically-oriented treatment is more likely with psychological presentation, but not significantly related to somatoform symptoms.


CONCLUSION
These findings underline the importance of a specific treatment approach for patients with somatoform symptoms, so as to avoid inappropriate treatment.