Underdiagnosis of hypochondriasis in family practice
PsychosomaticsPublished 1 January 1984
Rex J. Beaber, W M Rodney
Citations56
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TL;DR
Patients who scored high on the Whitely Index were more likely to have received screening laboratory testing, and to have high no-show rates, along with significantly more numbers of symptoms shown in the record, which, however, did not contain any references to somatization.
Abstract
A hypochondriasis questionnaire (the Whitely Index) was administered to 109 family practice outpatients and their medical records were audited to determine the rate of detection of hypochondriasis and its impact on physician behavior. Patients who scored high on the Whitely Index were more likely to have received screening laboratory testing, and to have high no-show rates, along with significantly more numbers of symptoms shown in the record, which, however, did not contain any references to somatization.
Keywords
MedicineArts and Humanities
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