Prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms in adults who are high users of health care services: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Ferozkhan Jadhakhan; Oana C Lindner; Amy Blakemore; Elspeth Guthrie

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027922

Prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms in adults who are high users of health care services: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Ferozkhan Jadhakhan, Oana C Lindner, Amy Blakemore, Elspeth Guthrie

Applied Health Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are common in primary-care and secondary-care settings. Persistent symptoms of MUS are associated with a variety of poor outcomes including increased disability, poor quality of life and high healthcare costs. The aim of this systematic review is to review the relevant literature to determine the prevalence of MUS in patients who are high users of healthcare and/or who accrue high healthcare costs.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This review will include studies with cases that are either high users of general healthcare or are patients who accrue high healthcare costs, aged ≥18 years and where a recognised measure of MUS, either a standardised clinical interview or questionnaire, was employed. The following citation databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, PROSPERO and the Cochrane library will be systematically searched from inception to 30 June 2018. The Cochrane library was included because of the significant proportion of non-observational studies currently published in the database. The prevalence of MUS and associated disorders along with the costs or use of healthcare associated with the presence of MUS will be estimated with 95% CI. If possible, study results will be pooled into a meta-analysis. However, if heterogeneity is high, data analysis will be presented descriptively.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for this systematic review since only data from existing studies will be used. Results of this review will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and at national and international conferences.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018100388.

Original language	English
Article number	e027922
Journal	BMJ open
Volume	9
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027922
Publication status	Published - 2 Jul 2019

Bibliographical note

Keywords

frequent attenders
health care utilisation
high cost
high health care cost
medically unexplained symptoms
prevalence
primary care
secondary care

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10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027922Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)

Jadkakhan_et_al_Prevalence_of_medically_BMJ_Open_2019
Checked for eligibility: 16/07/2019 Jadhakhan F, Lindner OC, Blakemore A, et al. Prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms in adults who are high users of health care services: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. BMJ Open 2019;9:e027922. doi:10.11
Final published version, 279 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)

Cite this

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title = "Prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms in adults who are high users of health care services: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol",

abstract = "INTRODUCTION: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are common in primary-care and secondary-care settings. Persistent symptoms of MUS are associated with a variety of poor outcomes including increased disability, poor quality of life and high healthcare costs. The aim of this systematic review is to review the relevant literature to determine the prevalence of MUS in patients who are high users of healthcare and/or who accrue high healthcare costs.METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This review will include studies with cases that are either high users of general healthcare or are patients who accrue high healthcare costs, aged ≥18 years and where a recognised measure of MUS, either a standardised clinical interview or questionnaire, was employed. The following citation databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, PROSPERO and the Cochrane library will be systematically searched from inception to 30 June 2018. The Cochrane library was included because of the significant proportion of non-observational studies currently published in the database. The prevalence of MUS and associated disorders along with the costs or use of healthcare associated with the presence of MUS will be estimated with 95% CI. If possible, study results will be pooled into a meta-analysis. However, if heterogeneity is high, data analysis will be presented descriptively.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for this systematic review since only data from existing studies will be used. Results of this review will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and at national and international conferences.PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018100388.",

keywords = "frequent attenders, health care utilisation, high cost, high health care cost, medically unexplained symptoms, prevalence, primary care, secondary care",

author = "Ferozkhan Jadhakhan and Lindner, {Oana C} and Amy Blakemore and Elspeth Guthrie",

note = "{\textcopyright} Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.",

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AU - Lindner, Oana C

AU - Blakemore, Amy

AU - Guthrie, Elspeth

N1 - © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

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Y1 - 2019/7/2

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are common in primary-care and secondary-care settings. Persistent symptoms of MUS are associated with a variety of poor outcomes including increased disability, poor quality of life and high healthcare costs. The aim of this systematic review is to review the relevant literature to determine the prevalence of MUS in patients who are high users of healthcare and/or who accrue high healthcare costs.METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This review will include studies with cases that are either high users of general healthcare or are patients who accrue high healthcare costs, aged ≥18 years and where a recognised measure of MUS, either a standardised clinical interview or questionnaire, was employed. The following citation databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, PROSPERO and the Cochrane library will be systematically searched from inception to 30 June 2018. The Cochrane library was included because of the significant proportion of non-observational studies currently published in the database. The prevalence of MUS and associated disorders along with the costs or use of healthcare associated with the presence of MUS will be estimated with 95% CI. If possible, study results will be pooled into a meta-analysis. However, if heterogeneity is high, data analysis will be presented descriptively.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for this systematic review since only data from existing studies will be used. Results of this review will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and at national and international conferences.PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018100388.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are common in primary-care and secondary-care settings. Persistent symptoms of MUS are associated with a variety of poor outcomes including increased disability, poor quality of life and high healthcare costs. The aim of this systematic review is to review the relevant literature to determine the prevalence of MUS in patients who are high users of healthcare and/or who accrue high healthcare costs.METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This review will include studies with cases that are either high users of general healthcare or are patients who accrue high healthcare costs, aged ≥18 years and where a recognised measure of MUS, either a standardised clinical interview or questionnaire, was employed. The following citation databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, PROSPERO and the Cochrane library will be systematically searched from inception to 30 June 2018. The Cochrane library was included because of the significant proportion of non-observational studies currently published in the database. The prevalence of MUS and associated disorders along with the costs or use of healthcare associated with the presence of MUS will be estimated with 95% CI. If possible, study results will be pooled into a meta-analysis. However, if heterogeneity is high, data analysis will be presented descriptively.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for this systematic review since only data from existing studies will be used. Results of this review will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and at national and international conferences.PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018100388.

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Prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms in adults who are high users of health care services: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Cite this