Screening for Psychosocial Problems among Primary Care Patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

General-practice surveys and morbidity statistics indicate that minor mental disorders and psychosocial problems place a heavy burden on primary health care services. Up to one-third of all patients consulting their general practitioners are seeking help for the emotional distress associated with physical disease or for a life reflecting an underlying psychosocial problem rather than an organic complaint [1-3]. The role played by social workers in helping with these problems and the overlap between their clients and those of the primary care team have been documented [4]. However, there is little information on the prevalence of these problems and whether patients discuss them with anyone other than friends and relatives.