Relieved after Doctor's Consultation? Primary Health Care Patients' Complaint-related Worries

Worry is one of the central factors in primary health care patients’ experience with their current complaint. Worry is associated with, e.g., patients’ expectations and the outcomes of doctor’s consultations. The aim of this study was to explore primary health care patients’ complaint-related worry and its changes, as well as contributing factors. Furthermore, the reasons behind patients’ pre-consultation worry and possible relief were examined. The study was conducted in a public primary health care centre in Forssa in Southern Finland. Patients, aged 18–39 years, with a current complaint were interviewed before and after a doctor’s consultation. The patients’ characteristics, perceptions of their complaint and their expectations and experiences concerning the consultation were obtained through interviews. In addition, two questionnaires were administered to measure general tendency to illness worry (IWS) and psychiatric symptoms (SCL-90). The patients’ ratings of the intensity of worry and the severity of their complaint were measured with a visual analogue scale (VAS 0–100). Changes in worry were measured by comparing pre- and post-consultation VAS ratings and asking the patients to compare their worry after the consultation with the worry they felt before it. In connection with these ratings the patients also gave reasons for their experiences in their own words. The patients’ doctors assessed the medical severity of the complaints and whether they had found a medical explanation for the complaints. Many patients were very worried before the consultation (65 % scored over 50 points on the VAS). Worry and severity ratings were associated with the duration and course of the complaint, with a general tendency to illness worry and hostility. On average, the patients were less worried after the consultation than before it. Persistent worry was associated with the patients’ uncertainty about their complaint, their perceiving it as severe, expectations for examinations and reporting symptoms of anxiety. Patients were most often worried about the nature of their complaint (e.g. duration or intensity), not knowing what was wrong, the possible harmful effects of the complaint on body functions, the complaint’s prognosis, e.g. will it get better, and their ability to function. Patients were relieved by getting an explanation or treatment or by having a positive view of the complaint’s prognosis. Patients who reported uncertainty (lack of an explanation, worry about the nature of the complaint) or worry about the complaint’s possible bodily harmfulness were relieved by getting an explanation, often accompanied with getting treatment. On the other hand, worries about the ability to function tended to persist. Doctors should bring up patients’ worries for discussion in order to be able to respond to them appropriately. Because it tends to persist, worry about the ability to function should be addressed. Uncertain patients with concerns about their complaint’s bodily harmfulness or psychological consequences need special attention from their doctor.

Förteckning öfver aflidne provincial-läkaren doctor L. J. Prytz's boksamling, som å bok-auctionskammaren i Åbo försäljes den [ ] 1824

Julkaisuvuosi nimekkeestä.

Förteckning öfver framledne theologiae professoren doctor Jacob Bonsdorffs boksamling, som försäljes å Auctions-kammaren i Åbo den 8 mars och följande dagar 1832

S. 21: Imprimatur: J. M. af Tengström.

Förteckning öfver framledne anatomiae och physiologiae professoren vid f. d. Åbo Universitet, archiatern och riddaren doctor Gabriel von Bonsdorffs boksamling: kommande densamma att försäljas å Auctionskammaren i Helsingfors den [ ] junii 1832

Imprimatur: J. M. af Tengström.

Förteckning öfver framlidne contracts-prosten och ordens-ledamoten, doctor Joachim Adolph Cleves efterlemnade boksamling, som kommer att genom auction försäljas [den 12 april 1837 å Auctions kammaren]

Imprimatur: J. M. af Tengström.

Förteckning öfver den del af framl. kyrkoherden i Wasa och Mustasaari, theol. professoren m. m. doctor Snellmans efterlemnade boksamling, som på offentelig auction kommer att försäljas i Åbo den [ ]

Imprimatur: S. J. Backman.

Förteckning öfver framl. domprosten m. m. doctor M. Alopæi efterlemnade boksamling, som kommer att försäljas å Auctions-kammaren i denne stad

Imprimatur: J. M. af Tengström.

Förteckning öfver framlidne theol. prim. professoren, domprosten och Ordens-ledamoten m. m. doctor Gustaf Gadolins efterlemnade böcker, hvilka komma att å auction försäljas

Imprimatur: G. Rein.

Förtekning på framledne kyrkoherdens, herr doctor Forskåhls wackra theologiska bibliotheque, som kommer at försäljas i kyrkoherde-huset i St. Mariae församling i Stockholm den [ ] Martii 1762

Arkit: A-F8. - Viimeinen sivu tyhjä.