[Psychiatric syndromes and social factors in primary care].

Abstract

A study was carried out in order to identify the main dimensions of psychiatric symptoms in primary care and to study their relationship with demographic characteristic and life events and difficulties. 233 consecutive patients without previous psychiatric contact with their doctor were assessed using the Present State Examination-9 (PSE-9) and the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule in 10 primary care offices. A factor analysis was carried out on the items of the non-psychotic part of the PSE-9. Four main dimensions (depression, non-specific symptoms, lack of confidence and self-criticism, and specific anxiety) were found explaining the 53.7% of total variance. Acute and chronic life events are associated with the depression, non-specific symptoms, and lack of confidence and self-criticism dimensions after controlling for the effect of clinical variables and demographic characteristics, and previously or currently married shows a statistical significant trend to signification in its association with the non-specific symptom dimension after controlling for the effect of clinical variables and life events.