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Fulltext Definitions of somatisation and cultural influences

Mathers N, Khoo EM, McCarthy S, Thompson J, Low WY

Br J Gen Pract, 2003 May;53(490):409.
PMID: 12830578
Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/epidemiology*
Fulltext Mass anxiety attack in a primary school

Woon TH

Med J Malaysia, 1986 Sep;41(3):220-4.
PMID: 3670137

An alarm about suspected toxic gas leakage was raised in a primary school. All the students were evacuated by the staff and the community to a district hospital in Teluk Intan, Perak, about 8 km from the school. Sixty-four primary students from the school, four secondary school students and a student’s mother, who was near the school were all examined by a team of medical officers: Perceptions and records of the incidence from the students, staff and medical officers were recorded and examined by the author who visited the school and the hospital after the incidence. Psychosomatic symptoms related to anxiety attack were predominant There was no evidence of any gas leak. Symptomatic management was given by the medical officers. The psychogenic aetiology of the subsequent physical symptoms and behaviour, and the difference from epidemic hysteria are discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/psychology
Fulltext Somatization of depression in psychiatric out-patients

Salleh MR

Med J Malaysia, 1989 Dec;44(4):275-82.
PMID: 2520035

The severity of anxiety and depression in 72 patients presenting with somatic complaints to the psychiatric clinic were assessed after excluding organic illnesses. Majority of the patients were females, between 15 to 34 years of age and came from lower socio-economic background. A high percentage of patients were brought up by dominant mothers and the married patients had passive husbands or active wives controlling the family. Generally the severity of depression was correlated with the severity of anxiety (C.C = 0.704, P less than 0.01). Majority of the patients were found to have both mixed anxiety depressive symptoms and the anxiety symptoms masking the underlying depressive symptomatology.
Study site: Psychiatric Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis; Somatoform Disorders/etiology*; Somatoform Disorders/psychology
Do the Chinese somatize depression? A cross-cultural study

Parker G, Cheah YC, Roy K

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 2001 Jun;36(6):287-93.
PMID: 11583458

A large literature argues for the Chinese--whether in mainland China or elsewhere--being highly likely to express depression somatically, leading to predictable detection and diagnostic difficulties. If true, detection might be assisted if a set of somatic proxies of depression were identified, and this was the principal initial objective in mounting this study.

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/ethnology*; Somatoform Disorders/etiology*
Sporadic koro and marital dysharmony

Adityanjee, Zain AM, Subramaniam M

Psychopathology, 1991;24(1):49-52.
PMID: 2023985 DOI: 10.1159/000284697

A case of Koro is described in a Malaysian Chinese man in the setting of martial dysharmony and sexual rejection. A distinction is suggested between the epidemic form of Koro and the Koro symptom occurring sporadically. Existence of the sporadic Koro syndrome is discussed and a unified classificatory system is proposed.

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/psychology*
The significance of life-events as contributing factors in childhood recurrent abdominal pain in an urban community in Malaysia

Boey CC, Goh KL

J Psychosom Res, 2001 Oct;51(4):559-62.
PMID: 11595243

This study aimed to look at the link between childhood recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) and the presence of recent life-events in an urban community in Malaysia. School children aged from 9 to 15 years in the city of Petaling Jaya were randomly selected to fill in a questionnaire and to be interviewed. The prevalence of RAP among 1488 school children studied was 9.6% (95% confidence interval (CI), 8.18-11.25). Higher prevalences of RAP were found in children who had experienced the following life-events in the previous year: loss of a family member through death (P

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/psychology*
Fulltext Somatisation disorder and its associated factors in multiethnic primary care clinic attenders

Khoo EM, Mathers NJ, McCarthy SA, Low WY

Int J Behav Med, 2012 Jun;19(2):165-73.
PMID: 21562781 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-011-9164-7

Background Somatisation disorder (SD) has been reported as common in all ethnic groups, but the estimates of its prevalence have varied and the evidence for its associated factors has been inconsistent.
Purpose This study seeks to determine the prevalence of SD and its associated factors in multiethnic primary care clinic attenders.
Methods This cross-sectional study was on clinic attenders aged 18 years and above at three urban primary care clinics in Malaysia. The operational definition of SD was based on ICD-10 criteria for SD for research, frequent attendance, and excluded moderate to severe anxiety and depression. The instruments used were the ICD-10 symptom list, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, a semi-structured questionnaire, and SF-36.
Results We recruited 1,763 patients (response rate 63.8%). The mean age of respondents was 44.7±15.8 years, 807 (45.8%) were male; there were 35.3% Malay, 30.1% Chinese and 34.6% Indian. SD prevalence was 3.7%; the prevalence in Malay was 5.8%, Indian 3.0% and Chinese 2.1%. Significant associations were found between SD prevalence and ethnicity, family history of alcoholism, blue-collar workers and the physical component summary (PCS) score of SF-36. Multivariate analysis showed that SD predictors were Malay ethnicity (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.6, 4.6), blue-collar worker (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2, 3.5) and impaired PCS score of SF-36 (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.90, 0.95).
Conclusion The prevalence of SD was relatively uncommon with the stringent operational criteria used. SD preponderance in blue-collar workers may be attributable to secondary gain from getting sickness certificates and being paid for time off work.
Keywords Somatisation disorder . Associated factors . Primary care . Ethnic groups . Prevalence Questionnaire: ICD-10 symptom list; Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale; HADS; SF-36

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis; Somatoform Disorders/ethnology*
Malaysian Moslem mothers' experience of depression and service use

Abdul Kadir NB, Bifulco A

Cult Med Psychiatry, 2010 Sep;34(3):443-67.
PMID: 20549550 DOI: 10.1007/s11013-010-9183-x

Standard psychiatric criteria for depression developed in the United States and United Kingdom are increasingly used worldwide to establish the prevalence of clinical disorders and to help develop services. However, these approaches are rarely sensitive to local and cultural expressions of symptoms or beliefs about treatment. Mismatch between diagnostic criteria and local understanding may result in underreporting of depression and underutilization of services. Little such research has been conducted in Malaysia, despite the acknowledged high rate of depression and low access to services. This study examines depression in Moslem Malay women living in Johor Bahru, Southern Peninsular Malaysia, to explore depression symptoms using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. The 61 women interviewed were selected on the basis of high General Health Questionnaire scores from a large questionnaire survey of 1,002 mothers. The illustrative analysis looks at descriptions of depressed mood, self-depreciation and suicidal ideation, as well as attitudes toward service use. The women gave full and open descriptions of their emotional symptoms, easily recognizable by standard symptom categories, although somatic symptoms were commonly included, and the spiritual context to understanding depression was also prevalent. However, few women had knowledge about treatment or sought medical services, although some sought help from local spiritual healers. Attending to such views of depression can help develop services in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis; Somatoform Disorders/ethnology; Somatoform Disorders/psychology
Cultural health beliefs in a rural family practice: a Malaysian perspective

Ariff KM, Khoo SB

Aust J Rural Health, 2006 Feb;14(1):2-8.
PMID: 16426425 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2006.00747.x

Background: Understanding the sociocultural dimension of a patient’s health beliefs is critical to a successful clinical encounter. Malaysia with its multi-ethnic population of Malay, Chinese and Indian still uses many forms of traditional health care in spite of a remarkably modern rural health service.
Objective: The objective of this paper is discuss traditional health care in the context of some of the cultural aspects of health beliefs, perceptions and practices in the different ethnic groups of the author’s rural family practices. This helps to promote communication and cooperation between doctors and patients, improves clinical diagnosis and Management, avoids cultural blind spots and unnecessary medical testing and leads to better adherence to treatment by patients.
Discussion: Includes traditional practices of ‘hot and cold’, notions of Yin-Yang and Ayurveda, cultural healing, alternative medicine, cultural perception of body structures and cultural practices in the context of women’s health. Modern and traditional medical systems are potentially complementary rather than antagonistic. Ethnic and cultural considerations can be integrated further into the modern health delivery system to improve care and health outcomes.
KEY WORDS: alternative medicine, child health, cultural healing, traditional medicine, women’s health

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/therapy
Fulltext Descriptive Epidemiology of Somatising Tendency: Findings from the CUPID Study

Vargas-Prada S, Coggon D, Ntani G, Walker-Bone K, Palmer KT, Felli VE, et al.

PLoS One, 2016;11(4):e0153748.
PMID: 27128094 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153748

Somatising tendency, defined as a predisposition to worry about common somatic symptoms, is importantly associated with various aspects of health and health-related behaviour, including musculoskeletal pain and associated disability. To explore its epidemiological characteristics, and how it can be specified most efficiently, we analysed data from an international longitudinal study. A baseline questionnaire, which included questions from the Brief Symptom Inventory about seven common symptoms, was completed by 12,072 participants aged 20-59 from 46 occupational groups in 18 countries (response rate 70%). The seven symptoms were all mutually associated (odds ratios for pairwise associations 3.4 to 9.3), and each contributed to a measure of somatising tendency that exhibited an exposure-response relationship both with multi-site pain (prevalence rate ratios up to six), and also with sickness absence for non-musculoskeletal reasons. In most participants, the level of somatising tendency was little changed when reassessed after a mean interval of 14 months (75% having a change of 0 or 1 in their symptom count), although the specific symptoms reported at follow-up often differed from those at baseline. Somatising tendency was more common in women than men, especially at older ages, and varied markedly across the 46 occupational groups studied, with higher rates in South and Central America. It was weakly associated with smoking, but not with level of education. Our study supports the use of questions from the Brief Symptom Inventory as a method for measuring somatising tendency, and suggests that in adults of working age, it is a fairly stable trait.

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders/epidemiology*
Fulltext The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among postpartum women on the East Coast of Malaysia

Khalid NN, Jamani NA, Abd Aziz KH, Draman N

J Taibah Univ Med Sci, 2020 Dec;15(6):515-521.
PMID: 33318744 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2020.08.008

Objective: Sexual health is a key component of the overall health and quality of life of both men and women. Sexual dysfunction is a common condition, but it lacks professional recognition. This study aims to determine the prevalence and types of sexual dysfunctions among postpartum women in primary care clinics and their associated factors in a Malaysian cohort.
Method: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 420 women from nine primary care clinics in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. All participants had given livebirths within six weeks to six months and had attended either a postnatal or a well-child clinic at a government primary care clinic. The assessment of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) was done using a validated Malay version of the female sexual function index (MVFSFI). Data were statistically analysed using appropriate methods.
Results: More than one-third (35.5%) of women had postpartum sexual dysfunction. The most common types were lubrication disorder 85.6% (n = 113), followed by loss of desire 69.7% (n = 92) and pain disorders 62.9% (n = 83). Satisfaction disorder 7.3% (n = 27), orgasmic disorder 9.7% (n = 56) and arousal disorder 11.0% (n = 41) were less common sexual problems. The independent associated factors for FSD were high education level (adjusted odd ratio = 1.717, 95% CI 1.036-2.844; p

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders
Fulltext Sexual pain disorders among Malay women with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Malaysia

Ismail AH, Baw R, Sidi H, Ng CG

ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 2014;15(1):1-7.
MyJurnal

Objectives: This study aims to determine the prevalence and associated factors of sexual pain disorders among Malay women in Malaysia with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving 347 women (174 non- diabetic and 173 diabetic subjects) who attended the diabetic clinic in a university hospital. Sexual pain disorders were assessed using the Pain sub scale of Malay Version of the Female Sexual Function Index (MVFSFI). Socio-demographic information of the subjects was collected with a pre-designed questionnaire.
Results: Prevalence of sexual pain disorders among Malay women with type 2 diabetes mellitus was 10.4% and the control group was 9.2% but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis did not find any relevant associated factor with sexual pain disorder.
Conclusion: Sexual pain disorders among Malay women were not dependent on the diabetic status. Further studies with different population of diabetic patients are needed to confirm the results.
Study site: Diabetic clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Somatoform Disorders