Managing physical symptoms: the clinical assessment as treatment.

Physical symptoms are a common cause of attendance at general hospital out-patient clinics. There is good evidence that cognitive therapy is effective in the management of such physical symptoms. This narrative review suggests that the assessment itself, without formal psychological therapy, may be...

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Main Author: Price, J
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2000
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author Price, J
author_facet Price, J
author_sort Price, J
collection OXFORD
description Physical symptoms are a common cause of attendance at general hospital out-patient clinics. There is good evidence that cognitive therapy is effective in the management of such physical symptoms. This narrative review suggests that the assessment itself, without formal psychological therapy, may be used as a treatment, regardless of whether relevant pathology is absent or present. Changing patients' beliefs about their symptoms may improve a broad range of outcomes, including symptoms, disability, distress, and health-care resource use. The evidence for investigations as treatment is reviewed, along with potential for further development and possible pitfalls. A rationale is presented for a brief psychoeducational intervention that can be delivered in the clinic. This would be a logical extension of the kind of simple explanation and reassurance that occurs routinely today, but which is not explicitly used as, or regarded as, treatment. The dearth of relevant evidence is emphasized, and recommendations are made for future research.
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spelling oxford-uuid:cc76f397-33ac-4d9e-a49a-4779dc7aea792022-03-27T07:22:13ZManaging physical symptoms: the clinical assessment as treatment.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:cc76f397-33ac-4d9e-a49a-4779dc7aea79EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2000Price, JPhysical symptoms are a common cause of attendance at general hospital out-patient clinics. There is good evidence that cognitive therapy is effective in the management of such physical symptoms. This narrative review suggests that the assessment itself, without formal psychological therapy, may be used as a treatment, regardless of whether relevant pathology is absent or present. Changing patients' beliefs about their symptoms may improve a broad range of outcomes, including symptoms, disability, distress, and health-care resource use. The evidence for investigations as treatment is reviewed, along with potential for further development and possible pitfalls. A rationale is presented for a brief psychoeducational intervention that can be delivered in the clinic. This would be a logical extension of the kind of simple explanation and reassurance that occurs routinely today, but which is not explicitly used as, or regarded as, treatment. The dearth of relevant evidence is emphasized, and recommendations are made for future research.
spellingShingle Price, J
Managing physical symptoms: the clinical assessment as treatment.
title Managing physical symptoms: the clinical assessment as treatment.
title_full Managing physical symptoms: the clinical assessment as treatment.
title_fullStr Managing physical symptoms: the clinical assessment as treatment.
title_full_unstemmed Managing physical symptoms: the clinical assessment as treatment.
title_short Managing physical symptoms: the clinical assessment as treatment.
title_sort managing physical symptoms the clinical assessment as treatment
work_keys_str_mv AT pricej managingphysicalsymptomstheclinicalassessmentastreatment