Somatization Disorder Among Primary Health Care Centers Patients

Background: Somatization disorder is multiple medically unexplained symptoms of long duration& involve multiple organ systems.Objectives: To study the prevalence of somatization disorder among patients of PHC. Centers and the role of the various sociodemographic factors also demonstrate the presentation & clinical pattern of somatization disorder.Methods: Out of 678 patients who were selected randomly from two of primary health care centers in Diwaniya city over a period from the first of October 2009 to 31th December 2009. These patients were interviewed using the International Diagnostic checklist for ICD-10 somatization disorder.Results: The study reveals that 14.6%of the patients have Somatization Disorder. and it is most common among (46-55) years age group(19.1%), females(19.7%), divorced (27.8%), illiterate(24.3%), low family income(21.2%) & unemployed (17.0%) patients. Somatization Disorder was least common among age group(15-25) years(4.5%), male(8.1%), married(12%), highly educated (7.3%), high family income(6.7%) & employed(11.8%) patients. The most common presentation of somatization disorder. was pain in limbs, extremities or joints( 81.8%) .Conclusions : Somatization Disorder. is relatively common in PHC. visitors & this represent a big burden on health institutions if remain undiagnosed for long period.