Understand your illness and your needs": assessment-informed patient education for people with multiple functional somatic syndromes
Abstract
Objectives Patients suffering from multiple functional somatic syndromes (FSS) such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or irritable bowel syndrome, often lack both a clear diagnosis and tangible illness explanations, which is a barrier for treatment engagement. We tested a short-term intervention taking the unifying concept of Bodily Distress Syndrome (BDS) as a point of departure. The intervention consisted of a clinical assessment, group-based patient education, and one follow-up consultation.Methods 174 patients were included and received questionnaires at baseline, after clinical assessment, after patient education, and median 19 weeks after baseline. Data were analyzed using random effects models and simple t-tests. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed.Results We found small reductions in symptom levels, considerable reductions in illness worry, and improvement of illness perceptions and illness-related behaviors. Overall, patients evaluated the intervention positively and expressed high expectations for further treatment. Qualitative results mainly supported these findings.Conclusion Targeting illness perceptions through patient education is crucial to obtain patient engagement in self-help management or further treatment. This may lead to improved outcomes.Practical implications Physicians in primary and secondary care should strive to give patients with multiple FSS a clear understanding that their various FSS diagnoses are related and provide tangible illness explanations.
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A psychoeducation intervention tailored to functional somatic disorder multi-organ type resulted in symptom improvement and reduced illness worry and was found highly acceptable by patients.
“Furthermore, a psychoeducation intervention tailored to FSD multi-organ type resulted in symptom improvement and reduced illness worry and was found highly acceptable by the patients [20].”
From Internet-delivered treatment for patients suffering from severe functional somatic disorders: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial (2023) · cites this paper as [20]
In adults with FSS, it has been discussed whether the development of specifically tailored treatments for each FSS or symptom profile can be an inefficient strategy due to the costly nature of establishing separate clinics, fragmented care, and difficulty in handling multisymptomatic patients.
“In adults with FSS, it has been discussed whether the development of specifically tailored treatments for each FSS or symptom profile can be an inefficient strategy due to the costly nature of establishing separate clinics in each medical (sub)specialty, the fragmented care available and difficulty in handling multisymptomatic patients at those clinics [43–45, 84, 89].”
From Feasibility of group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescents (AHEAD) with multiple functional somatic syndromes: A pilot study (2020) · cites this paper as [89]
A Danish study found that a brief education targeting patients' IW, providing explanations for PPS and fostering hope for treatment, led to relevant changes in worrying and illness perception, even with minimal symptom reduction.
“For example, a Danish study found that a brief education targeting patients' IW, providing explanations for PPS and fostering hope for treatment, led to relevant changes in worrying and illness perception, even with minimal symptom reduction [52].”
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- Authors
- Frølund Pedersen, H., Holsting, A., Frostholm, L., Rask, C., Jensen, J. S., Høeg, M. D., & Schröder, A.
- Affiliations
- Aarhus University Hospital (DK)
- Venue
- Patient Education and Counseling
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-09
- Volume
- 102
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1662-1671
- ISSN
- 0738-3991 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2936021149
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 7
- FWCI
- 2.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Patient Education and Counseling (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- TrygFonden
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Chronic Disease Management Strategies
- Keywords
- patient education, bodily distress syndrome, illness perception, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, group intervention, treatment engagement, symptom relief
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Fibromyalgia, Health Services Needs and Demand, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Patient Education as Topic, Surveys and Questionnaires, Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Checklist
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