Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine the hypothesis of patients presenting with multiple
symptoms not in keeping with a known oraganic illness and/or repeated consultations, either
to the same or to a seperate medical practitioner are likely to have an underlying
psychological / psychiatric disturbance contributing to the consultation.Two important
indicators of underlying psychiatric disturbance were revealed.They are multiple complaints
and repeated consultations. These indicators could be of immense value in the detection of
psychiatric disturbance.The primary care schedule validated in this study could be used in
primary care settings for the detection of psychiatric disturbances.
