Concordance of illness perceptions: The key to improving care of medically unexplained symptoms

Veteran Beliefs About the Causes of Gulf War Illness and Expectations for Improvement

BACKGROUND

Individuals' beliefs about the etiology of persistent physical symptoms (PPS) are linked to differences in coping style. However, it is unclear which attributions are related to greater expectations for improvement.

METHOD AND RESULTS

A cross-sectional regression analysis (N = 262) indicated that Veterans with Gulf War Illness (GWI) who attributed their GWI to behavior, (e.g., diet and exercise), had greater expectations for improvement (p = .001) than those who attributed their GWI to deployment, physical, or psychological causes (p values > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings support the possible clinical utility of exploring perceived contributing factors of PPS, which may increase perceptions that improvement of PPS is possible.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02161133.

Psychometric properties of the rehabilitation treatment beliefs questionnaire for psychosomatic rehabilitation

PURPOSE

Treatment beliefs play a crucial role for patient satisfaction and the treatment outcome in psychosomatic rehabilitation. The aim of this study was the development and the psychometric evaluation of an indication-specific questionnaire of beliefs about psychosomatic rehabilitation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted at a psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic. The primary item list comprised k = 125 items. After a descriptive item analysis, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis. Furthermore, we tested reliability via McDonald's Omega and construct validity by analyzing correlations of the scales with related constructs.

RESULTS

Of the N = 264 participants, 50% were female and the mean age was 50.4 (SD = 9.8) years. K = 85 items were suitable for factor analysis, which resulted in k = 30 items constituting six scales, explaining of 57% the overall variance. The corrected item-total correlations were between r = 0.48 and r = 0.83. Internal consistency ranged from ω = 0.81 to ω = 0.86.

CONCLUSION

The newly developed questionnaire assesses specific treatment beliefs about inpatient psychosomatic rehabilitation. The psychometric properties of the six scales are acceptable. Further studies should confirm the psychometric results, such as the factorial structure of the questionnaire.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONTreatment beliefs are known to play an important role for the adherence, therapy outcome and satisfaction in psychosomatic rehabilitation.We developed and tested a indication-specific questionnaire assessing treatment beliefs in psychosomatic rehabilitation.The questionnaire can be used to explore patient's rehabilitation-related treatment beliefs, predict treatment outcomes, and to develop interventions attempting to modify these.

'She thought the same way I that I thought:' a qualitative study of patient-provider concordance among Gulf War Veterans with Gulf War Illness

Objective: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), such as chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and Gulf War Illness (GWI), are difficult to treat. Concordance-shared understanding between patient and provider about illness causes, course, and treatment-is an essential component of high-quality care for people with MUS. This qualitative paper focuses on the experiences of United States military Veterans living with GWI who have endured unique healthcare challenges. Methods & Measures: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 31 Veterans with GWI to explore factors that contribute to and detract from concordance with their Veteran Affairs (VA) healthcare providers. In addition to being seen by VA primary care, over half of participants also sought care at a War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, which specializes in post-deployment health. Deductive and inductive codes were used to organize the data, and themes were identified through iterative review of coded data. Results: Major themes associated with patient-provider concordance included validation of illness experiences, perceived provider expertise in GWI/MUS, and trust in providers. Invalidation, low provider expertise, and distrust detracted from concordance. Conclusion: These findings suggest providers can foster concordance with MUS patients by legitimizing patients' experiences, communicating knowledge about MUS, and establishing trust.

Randomized controlled trial protocol of health coaching for veterans with complex chronic pain

BACKGROUND

Pain predominant multisymptom illness (pain-CMI) refers to symptom-based conditions where pain is a primary symptom. There is initial evidence that health coaching may be efficacious in treating pain-CMI because it can be tailored to the veteran's goals and emphasizes long-term behavior change, which may indirectly impact the maintaining factors of pain-CMI (e.g., catastrophizing, poor pain control, and limited activity). This paper describes the study protocol and rationale of a randomized controlled trial that will compare the efficacy of remote-delivered health coaching in reducing disability and pain impairment for veterans with pain-CMI to remote-delivered supportive psychotherapy.

METHODS

This randomized controlled trial will consist of two treatment arms: remote-delivered health coaching and remote-delivered supportive psychotherapy, the active control. Each treatment condition will consist of twelve, weekly one-on-one meetings with a study provider. In addition to the baseline assessment, participants will also complete 6-week (mid-treatment), 12-week (post-treatment), and 24-week (follow-up) assessments that consist of questionnaires that can be completed remotely. The primary aims for this study are to determine whether health coaching reduces disability and pain impairment as compared to supportive psychotherapy. We will also examine whether health coaching reduces physical symptoms, catastrophizing, limiting activity, and increasing pain control as compared to supportive psychotherapy.

DISCUSSION

This study will contribute to the existing literature on pain-CMI and report the effectiveness of a novel, remote-delivered behavioral intervention.

What psychological interventions are effective for the management of persistent physical symptoms (PPS)? A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Presentation of persistent physical symptoms is associated with increased health care utilization, yet clinical outcomes often remain suboptimal. This systematic review aimed to determine whether psychological interventions are effective for the management of PPS and if so, what are the features of the interventions and at what level of care are they delivered. The review also set out to establish which symptoms in those diagnosed with PPS can be effectively managed with psychological intervention.

METHODS

Studies were included if they clearly reported a psychological intervention, specified the study sample as adults with a diagnosis of persistent physical symptoms, included a comparator and as a minimum an outcome measure of somatic symptoms. Risk of bias was assessed using the EPHPP. Meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall effect of interventions on somatic symptoms (the primary outcome), anxiety and depression (secondary outcomes).

RESULTS

Seventeen papers of varying quality indicated that psychological interventions can be effective for the management of somatic symptoms reported by individuals with PPS within a primary care setting. Psychological interventions were also found to be effective at reducing depression symptoms in individuals with PPS in twelve of the included studies. However, the meta-analysis results suggest that the psychological interventions utilized within eleven of the included studies did not significantly impact anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological interventions have some success in managing somatic symptoms in PPS patients within primary care settings although their effects on other psychological symptoms is more mixed. The review highlights the importance of establishing a clearer diagnostic classification to inform treatment trajectories and the need for appropriate training and support within a multi-disciplinary team to enable the provision of such therapies.

Illness and treatment beliefs as predictors of rehabilitation outcome in patients with mental disorders

OBJECTIVE

Illness and treatment beliefs are important predictors of health outcomes. However, little is known about their impact on outcomes in psychosomatic rehabilitation. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of illness and rehabilitation-related treatment beliefs in patients with mental disorders attending psychosomatic rehabilitation.

METHODS

We applied a longitudinal study with two measurement points (before rehabilitation; end of rehabilitation) in a psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic. Patients with mood disorders, anxiety or fear-related disorders, stress associated disorders or bodily distress disorders were included. Using regression models, we analysed whether illness and rehabilitation-related treatment beliefs predicted the rehabilitation outcome (operationalised through "Health-49"). Illness beliefs were assessed using the IPQ-R, while treatment beliefs were assessed using the RTBQ-Psych. Analyses were conducted separately for patients with a F3 and F4 diagnosis in accordance with the ICD-10.

RESULTS

N = 239 patients were included, sample size per regression model ranged between n = 48 and n = 85. Mean age was 50.8 years, and n = 120 were female. Initial symptom burden was the strongest predictor in all models with 12% to 64% explained variance. Concerning illness beliefs, perceived consequences, treatment control, and cyclic timeline were negatively linked to the outcome, whereas coherence and emotional representations were shown to be positive predictors. Regarding treatment beliefs, expectations towards treatment results were positively and concerns were negatively associated predictors.

CONCLUSION

Illness and treatment beliefs are predictors of the rehabilitation outcome. Patients´ beliefs might therefore be good starting points for interventions in the context of rehabilitation.

The Common-Sense Model and Mental Illness Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis

Psychotherapists can improve their patients' outcomes during and after therapy by improving patients' self-management. Patients who do not effectively manage their mental illness generally have worse outcomes. Leventhal's Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation theorizes that patients' perceptions of their illness (illness representations) guide their self-management, influencing health outcomes. The present study quantified the relations between illness representations, self-management, and outcomes for mental illnesses. We conducted a meta-analysis and included articles if they reported: 1) on adults with mental illnesses; and 2) the correlation between mental illness representations and mental illness outcomes. 25 articles were included which represented 28 independent samples. The pattern of correlations among illness representations (identity, consequences, timeline, control, coherence, and emotional representations), self-management strategies (attendance, engagement, and adherence to treatment) and mental illness outcomes (symptom severity and quality of life) was consistent with analyses from previous studies of mental and physical illnesses. The results found threat-related illness representations mostly had a large relationship with worse mental illness outcomes and self-management. Protective illness representations had a small-to-large relationship with better mental illness outcomes and self-management. The results suggest patients' perceptions of their mental illness may be a critical indicator of their mental illness outcomes, including symptom severity and quality of life. This theory-driven meta-analysis supports calls for the inclusion of illness representations in psychotherapy for mental illness.

Under-recognition of medically unexplained symptom conditions among US Veterans with Gulf War Illness

OBJECTIVE

Conditions defined by persistent "medically unexplained" physical symptoms and syndromes (MUS) are common and disabling. Veterans from the Gulf War (deployed 1990-1991) have notably high prevalence and disability from MUS conditions. Individuals with MUS report that providers do not recognize their MUS conditions. Our goal was to determine if Veterans with MUS receive an ICD-10 diagnosis for a MUS condition or receive disability benefits available to them for these conditions.

METHODS

A chart review was conducted with US Veterans who met case criteria for Gulf War Illness, a complex MUS condition (N = 204, M = 53 years-old, SD = 7). Three coders independently reviewed Veteran's medical records for MUS condition diagnosis or service-connection along with comorbid mental and physical health conditions. Service-connection refers to US Veterans Affairs disability benefits eligibility for conditions or injuries experienced during or exacerbated by military service.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine percent had a diagnosis of a MUS condition in their medical record, the most common were irritable colon/irritable bowel syndrome (16%) and fibromyalgia (11%). Slightly more Veterans were service-connected for a MUS condition (38%) as compared to diagnosed. There were high rates of diagnoses and service-connection for mental health (diagnoses 76% and service-connection 74%), musculoskeletal (diagnoses 86%, service-connection 79%), and illness-related conditions (diagnoses 98%, service-connection 49%).

CONCLUSION

Given that all participants were Gulf War Veterans who met criteria for a MUS condition, our results suggest that MUS conditions in Gulf War Veterans are under-recognized with regard to clinical diagnosis and service-connected disability. Veterans were more likely to be diagnosed and service-connected for musculoskeletal-related and mental health conditions than MUS conditions. Providers may need education and training to facilitate diagnosis of and service-connection for MUS conditions. We believe that greater acknowledgement and validation of MUS conditions would increase patient engagement with healthcare as well as provider and patient satisfaction with care.

Understanding Veterans' Causal Attributions of Physical Symptoms

BACKGROUND

Illness beliefs are significant contributors to health outcomes. Beliefs about the cause of physical symptoms are considered particularly important among those with medically unexplained symptoms and illnesses (MUS); yet little is known about causal beliefs among those with the most severe MUS (i.e., Veterans). The goal of the current study was to examine Veteran's causal attributions of their physical symptoms.

METHOD

A total of 91 combat Veterans with MUS were surveyed using a mixed-methods design about the cause of their physical symptoms, physical symptom severity, and PTSD symptoms. Causal attributions of physical symptoms were analyzed through thematic response analysis and grouped into categories. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the distribution of causal attribution types across Veterans with varying physical symptom severity and PTSD symptom severity.

RESULTS

Veterans with MUS reported an average of 7.9 physical symptoms, and attributed the cause of their symptoms to seven different categories ("Do not Know," "Stress/Mental Health," "Deployment/Environment," "Functional/Symptom," "Medically Explained," "Medically Unexplained Syndrome," and "Lifestyle"). Exploratory chi-square analysis revealed significant differences in causal attributions across physical symptom severity and severity of PTSD symptoms. Veterans with more severe PTSD and Veterans with more severe physical symptoms were more likely to attribute their MUS to stress/mental health or to a medically unexplained syndrome compared with those with low/no PTSD symptoms and physical symptom severity. Veterans with minimal PTSD and Veterans with minimal physical symptom severity were more likely to attribute the cause of their MUS to lifestyle choices (e.g., exercise/diet) compared with those with high PTSD and physical symptom severity.

CONCLUSION

Veterans with MUS endorse multiple, varied causal attributions for their physical symptoms, suggesting more complex causal beliefs than typically assumed. This has important implications for patient-provider communication and development of concordance around MUS treatment.

Functional somatic disorders: discussion paper for a new common classification for research and clinical use

BACKGROUND

Functional somatic symptoms and disorders are common and complex phenomena involving both bodily and brain processes. They pose major challenges across medical specialties. These disorders are common and have significant impacts on patients' quality of life and healthcare costs.

MAIN BODY

We outline five problems pointing to the need for a new classification: (1) developments in understanding aetiological mechanisms; (2) the current division of disorders according to the treating specialist; (3) failure of current classifications to cover the variety of disorders and their severity (for example, patients with symptoms from multiple organs systems); (4) the need to find acceptable categories and labels for patients that promote therapeutic partnership; and (5) the need to develop clinical services and research for people with severe disorders. We propose 'functional somatic disorders' (FSD) as an umbrella term for various conditions characterised by persistent and troublesome physical symptoms. FSDs are diagnosed clinically, on the basis of characteristic symptom patterns. As with all diagnoses, a diagnosis of FSD should be made after considering other possible somatic and mental differential diagnoses. We propose that FSD should occupy a neutral space within disease classifications, favouring neither somatic disease aetiology, nor mental disorder. FSD should be subclassified as (a) multisystem, (b) single system, or (c) single symptom. While additional specifiers may be added to take account of psychological features or co-occurring diseases, neither of these is sufficient or necessary to make the diagnosis. We recommend that FSD criteria are written so as to harmonise with existing syndrome diagnoses. Where currently defined syndromes fall within the FSD spectrum - and also within organ system-specific chapters of a classification - they should be afforded dual parentage (for example, irritable bowel syndrome can belong to both gastrointestinal disorders and FSD).

CONCLUSION

We propose a new classification, 'functional somatic disorder', which is neither purely somatic nor purely mental, but occupies a neutral space between these two historical poles. This classification reflects both emerging aetiological evidence of the complex interactions between brain and body and the need to resolve the historical split between somatic and mental disorders.

Introducing the System for Observing Medical Alliances (SOMA): A Tool for Studying Concordance in Patient-Physician Relationships

We developed the System for Observing Medical Alliances (SOMA) to study relationships between medical providers and patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). Based on literature in health psychology, medicine, and the psychotherapeutic alliance, the SOMA operationalizes three medical alliance dimensions: Engagement in the Consultation Process, Trust in the Provider, and Concordance of Illness Beliefs and Treatment Recommendations. Specific behavioral indicators, tallied as observed by trained judges, are used as the basis for rating each dimension. In a sample of 33 medical consultations with veterans who had MUS, interrater reliabilities ranged from .79 to .94. Notably, the other dimension ratings accounted for 40% of the variability in Concordance, with Trust in the Provider contributing unique variance. In addition to research, psychologists in integrated health settings can use the SOMA to consult and train medical providers on communication skills that enhance concordance.