Psychiatric disorders comorbid with general medical illnesses and functional somatic disorders: The Lifelines cohort study.

Objective: It is not clear why psychiatric disorders are more prevalent in the functional somatic syndromes than other general medical illnesses. This study assessed the correlates of psychiatric disorders in 3 functional syndromes and 3 general medical illnesses in a population-based sample.

Methods: The Lifelines cohort study included 122,366 adults with relevant data for 6 self-reported conditions: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and diabetes.

Case-controlled field study of the ICD-11 clinical descriptions and diagnostic requirements for Bodily Distress Disorders.

Aims: Mental disorders characterized by preoccupation with distressing bodily symptoms and associated functional impairment have been a target of major reconceptualization in the ICD-11, in which a single category of Bodily Distress Disorder (BDD) with different levels of severity replaces most of the Somatoform Disorders in ICD-10. This study compared the accuracy of clinicians' diagnosis of disorders of somatic symptoms using either the ICD-11 or ICD-10 diagnostic guidelines in an online study.

Methods: Clinically active members of the World Health Organization's Global Clinical Practice Network (N = 1065) participating in English, Spanish, or Japanese were randomly assigned to apply ICD-11 or ICD-10 diagnostic guidelines to one of nine pairs of standardized case vignettes.

Psychiatric disorders and the onset of self-reported fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: The lifelines cohort study.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess whether psychiatric disorders predict the onset of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) which develop in the presence of pre-existing muscle pain or fatigue.

Methods: The population-based Lifelines cohort study included 148,614 adults with relevant data for the fibromyalgia study and 136,423 for the CFS study. Participants with prior self-reported fibromyalgia (or CFS) at baseline were excluded from the relevant analysis.

Risk Factors for Self-reported Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Prior Psychiatric Disorder: The Lifelines Cohort Study.

Background/aims: The role of psychiatric disorder in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is not clear. This study aims to assess whether individuals who have psychiatric disorder prior to IBS onset differ in their risk factors from the remainder.

Methods: The prospective, population-based Lifelines cohort study includes 132 922 adults without prior IBS or taking IBS medication at baseline.

The Predictors of Somatic Symptoms in a Population Sample: The Lifelines Cohort Study.

Objective: Multiple bodily symptoms predict poor health status, high healthcare use, and onset of functional somatic syndromes. This study aimed to identify the predictors of somatic symptoms with special reference to mental disorders.

Methods: The prospective, population-based Lifelines cohort study included 80,888 adults who were followed up for a mean of 2.

The risk factors for self-reported fibromyalgia with and without multiple somatic symptoms: The Lifelines cohort study.

Objective: The numerous risk factors for fibromyalgia reflect its heterogeneous nature. This study assessed whether the predictors of fibromyalgia onset vary according to number of prior somatic symptoms.

Methods: The prospective, population-based Lifelines cohort study included 138,617 adults without fibromyalgia or marked muscle pain.

Predictors of new onsets of irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: the lifelines study.

Background: It has been claimed that functional somatic syndromes share a common etiology. This prospective population-based study assessed whether the same variables predict new onsets of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM).

Methods: The study included 152 180 adults in the Dutch Lifelines study who reported the presence/absence of relevant syndromes at baseline and follow-up.

A review of the incidence and risk factors for fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain in population-based studies.

This review identified prospective cohort studies in the general population, which showed incidence (23 papers) and risk factors (37 papers) for fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain. Median incidence of physician diagnosed fibromyalgia in the general population was 4.3 per 1000 person-years (range = 0.

Review article: the incidence and risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome in population-based studies.

Background: In the absence of prior gastrointestinal infection, the risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are not well established.

Aim: To identify the incidence and risk factors for IBS in general population samples METHODS: Narrative review of population-based studies. Electronic databases were searched using the keywords "incidence," "onset," "epidemiology," "population," "risk factors" with "irritable bowel syndrome" with subsequent hand searching.

Associations between antenatal depression and neonatal outcomes in Malawi.

Studies from several low- and middle-income countries have shown that antenatal depression may be a risk factor for poor neonatal outcomes. However, those studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa have not consistently demonstrated this association. We set out to investigate whether antenatal depression is associated with shorter duration of pregnancy and reduced newborn size in rural Malawi.

The associated features of multiple somatic symptom complexes.

Objective: To assess whether two or more functional somatic symptom complexes (SSCs) showed stronger association with psychosocial correlates than single or no SSC after adjustment for depression/anxiety and general medical disorders.

Methods: In a population-based sample we identified, by standardised questionnaire, participants with chronic widespread pain, chronic fatigue and irritable bowel syndrome, excluding those with a medical cause for pain/fatigue. We compared psychosocial variables in three groups: multiple (>1), single or no FSS, adjusting for depression/anxiety and general medical disorders using ordinal logistic regression.

Management of Functional Somatic Syndromes and Bodily Distress.

Functional somatic syndromes (FSS), like irritable bowel syndrome or fibromyalgia and other symptoms reflecting bodily distress, are common in practically all areas of medicine worldwide. Diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to these symptoms and syndromes vary substantially across and within medical specialties from biomedicine to psychiatry. Patients may become frustrated with the lack of effective treatment, doctors may experience these disorders as difficult to treat, and this type of health problem forms an important component of the global burden of disease.

Social stress predicts preterm birth in twin pregnancies.

Objective: To investigate whether stress, anxiety and depression predict preterm birth in twin pregnancies.

Methods: A prospective cohort study with a convenience sample of women pregnant with dichorionic, diamniotic twins. They were interviewed at 24-28 weeks using the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

The impact of maternal diet fortification with lipid-based nutrient supplements on postpartum depression in rural Malawi: a randomised-controlled trial.

Perinatal depression is highly prevalent in low-and-middle-income countries and has been linked to poor child health. Suboptimal maternal nutrition may be a risk factor for perinatal depression. In this randomised-controlled trial conducted in rural Malawi, we set out to test the hypothesis that women taking a fatty acid-rich lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS) would have fewer depressive symptoms postpartum than those taking iron-folate (IFA) or multiple-micronutrient (MMN) capsules.

The impact of perinatal depression on exclusive breastfeeding: a cohort study.

Perinatal depression is associated with infant undernutrition. We hypothesised that perinatal depression was associated with early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding and reduced quantity of breast milk in rural Pakistan. We used a prospective cohort design to study a population-based sample of 132 depressed and 147 non-depressed women from the third trimester of pregnancy to 6 months post-natal.

Somatic symptom burden and health anxiety in the population and their correlates.

Objective: Somatic symptom burden and health anxiety demonstrate overlapping clinical characteristics but their relationship in the general population is unclear. This study examined the association between these dimensions after adjustment for confounders and their respective correlation with outcome measures.

Methods: A randomly selected population-based sample of 3014 respondents aged 15-65 was interviewed by telephone using a structured questionnaire that included the 15-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), Whiteley-7, Kessler-6, Sheehan Disability Scale, socio-demographic variables and items regarding health care utilization.

Perinatal distress and depression in Malawi: an exploratory qualitative study of stressors, supports and symptoms.

Quantitative studies have demonstrated that depression and anxiety in the perinatal period are common amongst women in low- and middle-income countries and are associated with a range of psychosocial and health-related stressors. In this exploratory qualitative study conducted in southern Malawi, we investigated the thoughts and emotions experienced by women in pregnancy and the postnatal period, their expectations of support from husband and others, problems and difficulties faced and the impact of these on psychological wellbeing. We conducted 11 focus group discussions with a total of 98 parous women.

Validation of the multi-dimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) and the relationship between social support, intimate partner violence and antenatal depression in Malawi.

Background: Lack of social support is an important risk factor for antenatal depression and anxiety in low- and middle-income countries. We translated, adapted and validated the Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) in order to study the relationship between perceived social support, intimate partner violence and antenatal depression in Malawi.

Methods: The MSPSS was translated and adapted into Chichewa and Chiyao.

A cross-sectional study of antenatal depression and associated factors in Malawi.

Depression, and disabling levels of mixed depressive, anxious and somatic symptoms, termed common mental disorder, occurring in the perinatal period are an important health problem in low- and middle-income countries. In this cross-sectional study, pregnant women were recruited from a district hospital antenatal clinic in Malawi. Symptoms of depression and anxiety, and non-specific somatic symptoms commonly associated with distress, were measured using validated local versions of the Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ).

Psychological distress in mothers of children admitted to a nutritional rehabilitation unit in Malawi - a comparison with other paediatric wards.

In a previous study we found a very high prevalence of psychological distress in mothers of children admitted to a nutritional rehabilitation unit (NRU) in Malawi, Africa. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence and severity of maternal distress within the NRU with that in other paediatric wards. Given the known association between poor maternal psychological well-being and child undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries, we hypothesised that distress would be higher among NRU mothers.

Total somatic symptom score as a predictor of health outcome in somatic symptom disorders.

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.