Tomenson B Essau C Jacobi F Ladwig KH Leiknes KA Lieb R Meinlschmidt G McBeth J Rosmalen J Rief W Sumathipala A Creed F 2013 BACKGROUND The diagnosis of somatisation disorder in DSM-IV was based on 'medically unexplained' symptoms, which is unsatisfactory. AIMS To determine the value of a total somatic symptom score as a predictor of health status and healthcare use after adjustment for anxiety, depression and general medical illness. METHOD Data from nine population-based studies (total n = 28 377) were analysed. RESULTS In all cross-sectional analyses total somatic symptom score was associated with health status and healthcare use after adjustment for confounders. In two prospective studies total somatic symptom score predicted subsequent health status. This association appeared stronger than that for medically unexplained symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Total somatic symptom score provides a predictor of health status and healthcare use over and above the effects of anxiety, depression and general medical illnesses. application/pdf https://sonar.ch/global/documents/159818 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1192/bjp.bp.112.114405 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pmid/24072756 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science. - 2013 Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Anxiety Child Cross-Sectional Studies Depression Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Female Health Status Humans Male Middle Aged Multivariate Analysis Pain Patient Acceptance of Health Care Regression Analysis Severity of Illness Index Sex Distribution Somatoform Disorders Surveys and Questionnaires Young Adult Total somatic symptom score as a predictor of health outcome in somatic symptom disorders. http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501