Barriers to the diagnosis of somatoform disorders in primary care: protocol for a systematic review of the current status

Alexandra M Murray, Anne Toussaint, Astrid Althaus, Bernd Löwe

Somatoform-type disorders and functional medically unexplained symptoms are extremely common in primary care settings. These disorders, however, are consistently underdiagnosed and under-recognised which precludes effective treatment. Given that somatoform symptoms are associated with high impairment, healthcare costs and both physician and patient frustration, it is critical to improve early detection. The first step in improving patient care is to identify the current barriers which obstruct successful diagnosis to enable the design of targeted interventions. We aim to conduct a systematic review to identify the possible physician-, patient- and society-related factors and other practical constraints which may impede successful diagnosis. In the process, we will also be able to recognise the differences in methodological techniques, recommend potential avenues for future research and comment on the literature in this field as a whole.