Explaining the unexplained: Somatic symptoms in Chinese context

Abstract

Unexplained headache, back pain, chronic fatigue and other somatic symptoms are the manifestations of psychological distress in the form of physical symptoms. They have received increasing attention because of the considerable impact on quality of life, behavioral problems and healthcare utilization. This presentation will firstly provide a brief historical background of somatic symptom research in both Western and Chinese context. Then, based on a general population survey, we will discuss the risk factors for somatic symptoms in Chinese. As both anxiety and depression are prevalent in patients presenting somatic symptoms, there have been conflicting results in making the associated link between anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms. Therefore, lastly, we will present a path model to explain the pathway of stress leading to anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms in Chinese. Identifying the origins of somatic symptoms and addressing them with early treatment are crucial. The study findings will be helpful for general practitioners in primary care in making diagnosis and nurses in assessing the needs of patients and implementing appropriate nursing care.