Dysfunctional illness perception and illness behaviour associated with high somatic symptom severity and low quality of life in general hospital outpatients in China

Abstract

Background: Culture has been shown to influence climacteric symptoms of women. This cross-cultural study compared the climacteric symptoms, self-esteem and perceived social support between Mosuo and Han Chinese women and explored the culture impact on these variables. Mosuo is a Chinese minority with matriarchal structure and Han Chinese is the majority ethnic group of China with patriarchal structure. Method: Through convenience sampling, 54 Mosuo women and 52 Han Chinese women aged between 40 and 60 completed the sociodemographic questionnaire, Menopause Rating Scales (MRS), Self-Esteem Scale (SES) and Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS). Results: As compared to Han Chinese women, Mosuo women scored lower in psychological and somato-vegetative factors of the MRS, but higher in the SES and the "intra family support" factor of PSSS. Multilinear regression indicated that in Mosuo group high severity of climacteric symptoms was correlated with low self-esteem, while in Han Chinese group high severity of symptoms was correlated with low self-esteem, little perceived intra family support and the history of premenstrual symptoms. Conclusion: Mosuo women during climacteric showed better health status, higher self-esteem and perceived more intra family support compared with Han Chinese women. The predictors of the severity of the climacteric symptoms were different in each ethnic group respectively, which could be related to cultural diversity in the interaction between symptom severity and psychological characteristics.

Prevalence of DSM‐5 somatic symptom disorder in Chinese patients with breast cancer

“…Through G‐Power, we calculated the sample size that we needed for a t ‐test (two independent means), two tailed for an effect size d = 0.5 ( α error probability = 0.05, Power [1 – β error probability] = 0.95) for a critical t = 1.9701536, df = 236, resulting in a sample size of n = 79 for the SSD + group and n = 157 for the SSD‐group. The estimated effect size is based on our previous studies in general hospital outpatients in China 4,14 . We assumed a 1:2 ratio between the two group sizes (SSD+/SSD−).…”

“…The estimated effect size is based on our previous studies in general hospital outpatients in China. 4,14 We assumed a 1:2 ratio between the two group sizes (SSD+/SSD−). Assuming 10% missing value, this results in a necessary total sample of N = 260.…”

Poor sleep quality may contribute to dysfunctional illness perception, physical and emotional distress in hospitalised patients: results of a national survey of the Italian Society of Consultation‐Liaison Psychiatry

“…Physical and emotional distress represent multi‐dimensional factors including fatigue, pain, depression, and anxiety, which are well‐known risk factors for adverse illness course and increased risk of morbidity and mortality in general hospitals (Zhang et al, 2014). Hence, the understanding of the factors contributing to emotional and physical distress during hospitalisation should be considered as a priority to better prevent potential modifiable factors of morbidity.…”