Family Practice Advance Access originally published online on July 1, 2008
Family Practice 2008 25(4):266-271; doi:10.1093/fampra/cmn041
Medically unexplained symptoms in family medicine: defining a research agenda. Proceedings from WONCA 2007
a Department of Family Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
b Divison of Primary Care, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
c Medical Psychology and Mental Health Unit, Medical Sciences Faculty, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
d Family Medicine Unit, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
e Department of General Practice, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Correspondence to TC olde Hartman, 117 Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Email: t.oldehartman{at}hag.umcn.nl
Received 27 September 2007; Revised 5 June 2008; Accepted 6 June 2008.
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Abstract |
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Background. Medically unexplained symptoms (MUSs) are frequently presented in primary care. Unfortunately, knowledge of these patients and/or symptoms in primary care is still limited. Available research comes mainly from Europe and North America, while the perspectives of cultures such as Africa, Asia and South America are relatively unknown. To bring cultural perspectives together, a symposium and workshop on MUS in primary care was held at the WONCA World Conference 2007 in Singapore.
Objective. Main goals of this symposium and workshop—apart from presenting ongoing research and bringing together experts in MUS—were to detect knowledge gaps in MUS and to establish priorities in MUS research. This publication focuses on the proposed research agenda.
Methods. Using a nominal group technique, we generated research topics and set priorities. Research topics were grouped into research themes.
Results. Participants’ (66 researchers and GPs from 29 nationalities) most important research topics were ‘formulating a broadly accepted definition of MUS’, ‘finding a strategy to recognize MUS better and at an earlier stage’, ‘studying the value of self-management and empowerment in patients with MUS’ and ‘finding predictors to decide which strategy will best help the individual patient with MUS’. Priorities in research themes of MUS are as follows: (i) therapeutic options for patients with MUS and (ii) problems in consultations with these patients.
Conclusions. More research on MUS in primary care is needed to improve the consultations with and management of these patients. Internationally primary care conferences are excellent for exchanging ideas and formulating central issues of research.
Keywords. Family practice, medically unexplained symptoms, research agenda, cultural perspective.
olde Hartman TC, Hassink-Franke LJA, Dowrick C, Fortes C, Lam C, van der Horst HE, Lucassen PLBJ and van Weel-Baumgarten EM. Medically unexplained symptoms in Family Medicine: defining a research agenda. Family Practice 2008; 25: 266–271.