Somatic presentation of psychiatric disorders in an outpatient croup of Jordanians

Abstract EN

The phenomenon of translation of psychiatric symptoms into somatic symptoms in Jordan is considered in a review of 86S cases presented to the Prince Rashid Military Hospital over a period of IS months and is compared with 632 cases who presented with pure psychiatric symptoms during the same period.

A high rate (58%) of conversion of psychic problem into bodily language was found.

Males and females showed an equal tendency to somatize.

Middle-aged, married and patients of low educational attainment had a greater tendency to somatize and professional people were least likely to somatize.

\ considerable number of patients (26%) were either ignorant or had little conception of the nature of their illness.

Psychotic patients somatized less frequently than neurotic ones and patients who reported psychosocial stresses influencing their symptoms showed a greater tendency to somatize.

The majority of the somatizers were characterized by multiple symptoms from many organ systems of which the neurological system was most affected.