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Why people with probable minor psychiatric morbidity consult a doctor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

J. L. Vázquez-Barquero ,
J. F. Diez-Manrique ,
L. Gaite ,
C. Iglesias García ,
J. Artal ,
Stephen E. Roberts  and
Greg Wilkinson
J. L. Vázquez-Barquero*
Affiliation:
Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd; London Hospital Medical College, London
J. F. Diez-Manrique
Affiliation:
Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd; London Hospital Medical College, London
L. Gaite
Affiliation:
Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd; London Hospital Medical College, London
C. Iglesias García
Affiliation:
Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd; London Hospital Medical College, London
J. Artal
Affiliation:
Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd; London Hospital Medical College, London
Stephen E. Roberts
Affiliation:
Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd; London Hospital Medical College, London
Greg Wilkinson
Affiliation:
Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Clwyd; London Hospital Medical College, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Professor J. L. Vázquez-Barquero, Unidad de Investigacíon en Psiquiatría Social de Cantabria, Hospital Universitario “Marqués de Valdecilla”, Av. Valdecilla s/n, Santander 39008, Spain.
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Synopsis

This epidemiological investigation examines factors determining medical consultation in people with probable minor psychiatric morbidity. About 54% of people with probable minor psychiatric morbidity and about 23% of the (numerically much greater) remainder with lower probability of psychiatric morbidity consulted a doctor, usually a primary care physician, in the two weeks prior to a research interview. Medical consultation rates were higher in females than in males.

The dominant finding was that in people with probable minor psychiatric morbidity physical illness was strongly associated with medical consultation. Almost 89% of males and 97% of females with probable minor psychiatric morbidity and physical illness consulted a doctor in the two weeks prior to interview. Logistic regression modelling was used to investigate the joint effects on medical consultation of physical illness and six socio-demographic variables, and physical illness emerged as the major single determinant of medical consultation in women and, in men, it exerted its effect through an interaction with lower educational level.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , May 1992 , pp. 495 - 502
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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