Analysis of Psychosomatic Disorders Perceptions and Healthcare Seeking Behavior Characteristics Based on Patient-physician Multi-party Interviews

Background Psychosomatic disorders present high prevalence and disease burden in the community. Currently, different disciplines of medical institutions possess unclear functions and inadequate process strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of psychosomatic disorders, resulting in differences in the perceptions of disease and behavioral characteristics of doctors and patients, which affects the management of disease in the community. Objective To understand and analyze the cognitive and behavioral characteristics as well as the influencing factors of psychosomatic disorders from multiple perspectives of doctors and patients, and then provide strategic directions to improve the diagnosis and management of psychosomatic patients in the community. Methods During the period from 2022-02-01 to 06-31, 5 internists from a general hospital (H1) in Yangpu District, 12 general practitioners from 2 community health centers (H2, H3) in Yangpu District, and 2 community health centers (H4, H5) in Jiading and Pudong New Districts, 2 healthcare professionals from a mental health center hospital in Yangpu District, and 10 patients and with psychosomatic disorders who had been treated in the above hospitals or their relatives. The interview was performed by WeChat, face-to-face as well as telephone and other methods, with the content including perceptions of psychosomatic disorders, healthcare seeking behaviors, disease attitudes, problems and suggestions, and lasted 15-30 min. The interview content was recorded and transcribed into text, coded, summarized to generate themes, and finally quoted from representative interviewees. Results (1) There was a high level of disease awareness among general practitioners and psychiatrists, a low level of awareness among internists, and a general lack of awareness among patients. (2) General practitioners and psychiatrists possessed more experience in the diagnosis and treatment of psychosomatic disorders, but lacking sufficient work and effective treatment results. (3) The attitudes of multiple doctors and patients were varied with an overall lack of positivity. General practitioners had the most positive attitudes toward the diagnosis and treatment of psychosomatic disorders. (4) Doctors of different disciplines faced difficulties, including large patient bases, insufficient mental health resources, lack of solid psychological perceptions, lack of standardized guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, and busy practices, etc. (5) Most patients had not received psychotherapy, but they didn't exclude it either, while there were problems such as distrust of general practitioners, fear of treatment side effects, and health seeking behavior affected by many factors. (6) Both doctors and patients offered constructive suggestions, which included strengthening publicity and policy guidance to the public, promoting the continuous development of psychosomatic medicine, improving doctors' identification of psychological disorders, opening joint clinic for chronic disease and psychology, improving the experience of medical treatment, setting up a comfortable treatment environment, and coordinating referrals, etc. Conclusion Barriers such as differences in perceptions and attitudes between doctors and patients, unequal medical resources, and irregularities in behavior exist between doctors and patients. In the community, it is necessary to strengthen the advantages and functions of general practitioners on the management of psychosomatic disorders; fully implement and utilize relevant resources; and improve the negative attitudes of both doctors and patients, so that patients can seek proper medical treatment and improve their mental health.