ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of physical distress and mental health characteristics with the willingness to repeat an esophagogastroduodenoscopic (EGD) examination. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted on 137 patients who had an EGD procedure. The mental health status was evaluated with the Checklist-90-Revision tool, which is based on the Multidimensional Self Report Symptom Inventory. RESULTS: The results were as follows. 1) The elderly and those patients with two or more procedures had a significantly higher willingness to repeat the EGD examination. Those who were willing to repeat the examination had more EGD examinations than those who did not (p<0.05). 2) As for the mental health characteristics, persons with a willingness to repeat the EGD examination showed significantly lower scores on the interpersonal, sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, and paranoid ideation than did those without a willingness. 3) As for the degree of physical distress during the EGD examination, persons with a willingness to repeat the EGD examination had significantly lower scores on the total symptom score and global discomfort score than those without a willingness (p<0.05). 4) The younger patients, under 30, had a significantly lower willingness to repeat the EGD examination than did the elderly patients over 60 (OR=86.03, 95% CI 2.11-999). According to patient occupations, homemakers showed a significantly higher willingness than did others (OR=16.24, 95% CI 1.69-156.23). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggested that a willingness to repeat the EGD examination was closely associated with the mental health characteristics of the patients.