Making the economic case for tackling somatoform disorders

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Studies have suggested that as many as 26% of all primary care consultations may be attributed to medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). These somatoform disorders have previously been estimated to cost the health care system in England alone £ 3 billion per annum. Our objective therefore was to estimate the potential economic case for investing in measures to tackle medically unexplained symptoms in primary care in England.