Neuroticism and adverse life events are important determinants in functional somatic disorders: the DanFunD study.

Several psychological factors have been proposed to be associated with functional somatic disorders (FSD). However, large population-based studies investigating the importance of both personality and adverse life events (ALE) are sparse. This study aimed to investigate the association between FSD and neuroticism and the accumulated number of ALE, respectively. This cross-sectional study included a random sample of the adult Danish population (N = 7493). FSD were established by means of self-reported questionnaires and diagnostic interviews. Neuroticism was measured with the Danish version of the short-form NEO Personality Inventory. ALE were measured with the Danish version of the Cumulative Lifetime Adversity Measure. Strong positive associations were found between neuroticism and FSD, and ALE and questionnaire-based FSD. For interview-based FSD, strong positive associations were found for FSD, multi-organ type, and for the subtype of the general symptoms. The level of self-efficacy did not modify these associations, and no moderating effect of neuroticism and ALE in combination on the probability of having FSD was found. FSD were strongly associated with both neuroticism and the accumulated number of ALE, and these associations were not modified by self-efficacy. In combination, neuroticism and ALE did not have a moderating effect on the probability of having FSD.

Symptom Perceptions in Functional Disorders, Major Health Conditions, and Healthy Controls: A General Population Study.

Background: The present study investigated differences in symptom perceptions between individuals with functional disorders (FD), major health conditions, and FDs + major health conditions, respectively, and a group of healthy individuals. Furthermore, it investigated the relevance of FDs among other health-related and psychological correlates of symptom perceptions in the framework of the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CMS). Method: This cross-sectional study used epidemiological data from the Danish Study of Functional Disorders part two (N = 7,459 participants, 54% female, 51.99 ± 13.4 years). Symptom perceptions were assessed using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) and compared between the four health condition groups. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine associations between symptom perceptions, FDs, and other health-related and psychological correlates from the CMS framework. Results: Individuals with FDs (n = 976) and those with FDs + major health conditions (n = 162) reported less favorable symptom perceptions compared to the other two groups, particularly regarding perceived consequences, timeline, and emotional representations (effect size range Cohen's d = 0.12-0.66). The presence of a FD was significantly associated with all B-IPQ items, even in the context of 16 other relevant health-related and psychological correlates from the CMS framework, whereas symptom presence last year or last week was not. Conclusion: In the general population, symptom perceptions seem to play a more salient role in FD than in individuals with well-defined physical illness. Symptom perceptions should therefore be targeted in both primary and secondary interventions for FDs.

Irritable bowel, chronic widespread pain, chronic fatigue and related syndromes are prevalent and highly overlapping in the general population: DanFunD.

Prevalence of functional somatic syndromes (FSS) in the general population varies with observed overlap between syndromes. However, studies including a range of FSS are sparse. We investigated prevalence and characteristics of various FSS and the unifying diagnostic construct bodily distress syndrome (BDS), and identified mutual overlap of the FSS and their overlap with BDS. We included a stratified subsample of 1590 adults from a randomly selected Danish general population sample (n = 7493). Telephonic diagnostic interviews performed by three trained physicians were used to identify individuals with FSS and BDS. Prevalence of overall FSS was 9.3%; 3.8% for irritable bowel, 2.2% for chronic widespread pain, 6.1% for chronic fatigue, 1.5% for whiplash associated disorders, and 0.9% for multiple chemical sensitivity. Prevalence of BDS was 10.7% where 2.0% had the multi-organ type. FSS were highly overlapping with low likelihood of having a "pure" type. Diagnostic agreement of FSS and BDS was 92.0%. Multi-syndromatic FSS and multi-organ BDS were associated with female sex, poor health, physical limitations, and comorbidity. FSS are highly prevalent and overlapping, and multi-syndromatic cases are most affected. BDS captured the majority of FSS and may improve clinical management, making the distinction between multi- and mono-syndromatic patients easier.