Medically unexplained conditions considered by patients in general practice

Abstract

Background. Patients frequently present with multiple and ‘unexplained ’ symptoms, often resulting in complex consultations. To better understand these patients is a challenge to health care professionals, in general, and GPs, in particular. Objectives. In our research on symptom reporting, we wanted to explore whether patients consider that they may suffer from conditions commonly regarded as unexplained, and we explored asso-ciations between these concerns and symptom load, life stressors and socio-demographic factors. Methods. Consecutive, unselected patients in general practice completed questionnaires addressing eight conditions commonly regarded as unexplained (amalgam poisoning, Candida syndrome, fibromyalgia, food intolerance, electromagnetic hypersensitivity, burnout syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome). With logistic regression, we analysed associations with symptom load, burden of life stressors with negative impact on present health and socio-demographic variables. Results. Out of the 909 respondents (response rate  =  88.8%), 863 had complete data. In total, 39.6 % of patients had considered that they may suffer from one or more unexplained condition