• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.98-106
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• 1994

The authors investigated 131 nonpsychiatric physicians' attitudes toward psychiatric consultation, using questionnaires. A comparison was made as regards psychiatric consultation from nonpsychiatric physicians over position(staffs vs. residents) and department(medical vs. surgical). These findings are as follows ; 1) 51.9 percent of nonpsychiatric physicians estimated that less than 30 percent of their patientshadpgychiatricproblems. 2) The percentage of the patients referred for psychiatric consultation were 30 or less than 30 percent 3) Staffs tried to refer their patients to psychiatric department for psychiatric consultation more frequently than residents. 4) Medical physicians tried to refer their patients to psychiatric department for psychiatric consultation more frequently than surgeons. 5) Psychiatric consultation was estimated to be most frequently requested for overt psychiatric symptoms(23.0%) and past history of psychiatric treatment(20.8%). 6) The most frequent causes of not referring to department of psychiatry were found to be the patients' rejection(46.8%) and non-psychiatric physicians' dissatisfaction with the results of consultation (22.2%). 7) Medical physicians tended to explain the reasons for psychiatric consultation more adequately than surgeons. 8) Residents more specifically wrote the reasons for psychiatric consultation on the chart than staffs. The results suggest that staffs are more active in psychiatric consultation than residents, whereas medical physicians are more active than surgeons. Thus, education should be more emphasized for surgeons and residents, especially for the latter for effective consultation-liaison activity. On the other hand, psychiatrists should try to improve nonpsychiatric physicians' dissatisfactions with the results of psychiatric consultations, which will positively change their attitudes toward psychiatric consultation.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 1998

The purpose of the study was to examine nonpsychiatric physicians' attitudes toward psychiatry. 129 physicians responded to the questionnaire regarding attitudes toward psychiatry. A majority were favorable about psychiatric education, psychiatric consultation, psychoanalysis, students' choice of psychiatry as a career, and psychiatrists. Staff were more positive toward psychiatry than residents, and senior staff were more positive about psychiatry than junior staff. Overall, however, no significant differences were found in attitudes toward psychiatry between nonsurgical physicians and surgeons, although staff or residents in nonsurgical departments were more favorable about some aspects of psychiatry than staff or residents in surgical departments. The physicians with more interest in psychiatry as a career in the past were more likely to to be positive about psychiatry as a comprehensive science and a rapidly expanding field of medicine. Physicians with older age were more likely to be positive about status and efficacy of psychiatry, role and functioning of psychiatrists than those with. younger age. The results suggest that previous interest in psychiatry, age and clinical experience favorably influenced physicians' attitude toward psychiatry. In addition, development of models for psychiatric education will be needed to enhance physicians' attitude toward psychiatry.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.149-164
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• 2000

Somatization is regarded as a process rather than a diagnostic entity. It should be emphasized to identify psychopathology rather than to make a choice regarding diagnosis in assessing somatizing patients. Psychiatrists should be aware of the psychosocial cues underlying the patients' physical symptoms. Special skills and strategies are required by nonpsychiatric physicians to facilitate the patients' acceptance of psychiatric treatment. The goal of treatment for somatization is management but not cure. The approach should be flexible, depending on the patients' responses and need. The difficulty in diagnosing and treating somatization is likely to be related to abnormal illness behavior such as the patients' denial of their psychosocial problems and resistance to psychiatric approach. In conclusion, biopsychosocial approach is needed to treat these patients effectively. Psychiatrists should also teach other physicians the interview skill that they could identify these patients as early as possible and facilitate their acceptance of psychiatric treatment.