Medically unexplained symptoms and their change in time
Vol.15,No.2(2021)
Medical unexplained symptoms (MUS) are a frequent reason for medical consultations and thus represent a phenomenon requiring systematic examination. The aim of this study was to determine (1) the prevalence of MUS in a general population sample, as well as the frequency of individual symptoms, (2) the change of MUS intensity in time, and (3) the relationship between this change and health-related locus of control. N = 549 respondents from the general population completed an online questionnaire (251 of them responded to a second wave measurement after six months). The results of the analysis showed that 37.3% of the sample reported at least one MUS at the first-wave measurement. MUS intensity tended to decrease between the first and second measurements (d = 0.49). There was no evidence of a relationship between the change in MUPS and any of the health-related locus of control dimensions. The results are interpreted in the context of existing research.
medically unexplained symptoms; somatoform disorders; prevalence; change
Copyright © 2021 Eva Kostolanská, Tomáš Řiháček