TY - JOUR
AU - B. Lowe
AU - K. Piontek
AU - A. Daubmann
AU - M. Harter
AU - K. Wegscheider
AU - H. H. Konig
AU - M. Shedden-Mora
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVE: Stepped, collaborative, and coordinated approaches have been proposed as the optimal treatment strategy for somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD), but evidence supporting this strategy is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a guideline-based health care network for patients who are at high risk of somatoform disorder (Sofu-Net). METHODS: In a controlled, prospective, observer-blinded cluster cohort study, patients who were at high risk of somatoform disorder were recruited at 18 primary care practices in the Sofu-Net and at 15 primary care practices that provided care as usual (CAU). The primary outcome at 6-months follow-up was the rate at which the patients received mental health treatment since the establishment of Sofu-Net. The secondary outcomes included the patients' clinical symptom severity. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients in the Sofu-Net intervention group and 100 patients in the CAU control group who were at high risk of somatoform disorder were followed for 6 months. A significantly greater proportion of Sofu-Net patients than CAU patients received mental health treatment (47.9% vs. 31.0%; OR = 1.96; 95%CI 1.07 to 3.58). However, the Sofu-Net group did not show greater reductions clinical symptom burden compared to the CAU group. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of somatoform disorders within a guideline-based health care network resulted in increased rates of mental health treatment, but failed to improve patient clinical outcomes. Future investigations are needed to investigate the combined value of health care networks with specialized psychotherapy interventions in patients at high risk of SSRD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN55870770.
BT - Psychosomatic medicine
C5 - Medically Unexplained Symptoms
CY - United States
DO - 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000491
JF - Psychosomatic medicine
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Stepped, collaborative, and coordinated approaches have been proposed as the optimal treatment strategy for somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD), but evidence supporting this strategy is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a guideline-based health care network for patients who are at high risk of somatoform disorder (Sofu-Net). METHODS: In a controlled, prospective, observer-blinded cluster cohort study, patients who were at high risk of somatoform disorder were recruited at 18 primary care practices in the Sofu-Net and at 15 primary care practices that provided care as usual (CAU). The primary outcome at 6-months follow-up was the rate at which the patients received mental health treatment since the establishment of Sofu-Net. The secondary outcomes included the patients' clinical symptom severity. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients in the Sofu-Net intervention group and 100 patients in the CAU control group who were at high risk of somatoform disorder were followed for 6 months. A significantly greater proportion of Sofu-Net patients than CAU patients received mental health treatment (47.9% vs. 31.0%; OR = 1.96; 95%CI 1.07 to 3.58). However, the Sofu-Net group did not show greater reductions clinical symptom burden compared to the CAU group. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of somatoform disorders within a guideline-based health care network resulted in increased rates of mental health treatment, but failed to improve patient clinical outcomes. Future investigations are needed to investigate the combined value of health care networks with specialized psychotherapy interventions in patients at high risk of SSRD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN55870770.
PP - United States
PY - 2017
SN - 1534-7796; 0033-3174
T1 - Effectiveness of a stepped, collaborative, and coordinated health care network for somatoform disorders (Sofu-Net): A controlled cluster cohort study
T2 - Psychosomatic medicine
TI - Effectiveness of a stepped, collaborative, and coordinated health care network for somatoform disorders (Sofu-Net): A controlled cluster cohort study
U1 - Medically Unexplained Symptoms
U2 - 28498279
U3 - 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000491
VO - 1534-7796; 0033-3174
Y1 - 2017
ER -