Do patients with unexplained physical symptoms pressurise general practitioners for somatic treatment? A qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To identify the ways in which patients with medically unexplained symptoms present their problems and needs to general practitioners and to identify the forms of presentation that might lead general practitioners to feel pressurised to deliver somatic interventions.

Design

Qualitative analysis of audiorecorded consultations between patients and general practitioners.

Setting

7 general practices in Merseyside, England.

Participants

36 patients selected consecutively from 21 general practices, in whom doctors considered that patients' symptoms were medically unexplained.

Main outcome measures

Inductive qualitative analysis of ways in which patients presented their symptoms to general practitioners.

Results

Although 34 patients received so

SUBMITTER: Ring A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC403850 | biostudies-literature | 2004 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature