Detection rate and characteristics of adult outpatients with multiple somatic symptoms of general hospital in Beijing

Objective To explore the detection rate and clinical characteristics of multiple somatic symptoms among adult outpatients in cardiology, neurology and GI clinics. Methods The general demographic data and disease-related information of 1 497 patients in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Beijing Anzhen Hospital and Beijing Tongren Hospital were collected through continuous inquiry and screening. Physical symptoms and depressive symptoms were assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The patients were divided into multiple somatic symptoms group (SOM+group, PHQ-15≥10) and non-multiple somatic symptoms group (SOM-group, PHQ-15<10). The detection rate of multiple somatic symptoms was calculated. Partial correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation of PHQ-15 with the demographic, course of disease, cumulative number of visits, and the total score of PHQ-9. Results The overall detection rate of multiple somatic symptoms was 32.67% (489/1 497) in the three hospitals, and the highest was found in the department of digestive medicine (37.74%, 191/506). There were significant differences in gender (χ2=36.85, P<0.01), working status (χ2=19.78, P<0.01), visiting department (χ2=9.64, P<0.01), first visiting/repeated visiting (χ2=6.67, P<0.01), and the total score of PHQ-9 (χ2=231.52, P<0.01). The detection rate of female patients was higher than that of male patients. The detection rates of retired patients and patients who had no daily stable work were higher than patients who had daily stable work.The detection rate of re-visited patients was higher than that of first-visited patients. The illness duration (r=0.07, P<0.05, Bonferroni correction) and the total score of PHQ-9 (r=0.66, P<0.05, Bonferroni correction) were positively correlated with the severity of somatic symptoms measured by PHQ-15. Conclusions The detection rate of multiple somatic symptoms was high in general hospitals, especially highest in digestive outpatient clinics, and significantly higher in female, retired, unemployed, re-visited and patients who have depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms and the illness duration were positively correlated with the severity of somatic symptoms. Key words: Somatoform disorders; Questionnaires; Outpatients; Hospitals, General