The effect of clinical and psychopathological factors and social adjustment on activity of care-seeking in patients suffering from depressive and neurotic disorders

Objective - to investigate the effect of clinical and psychopathological characteristics and social adjustment on activity of health care-seeking behavior. Material: 200 inpatients, suffering from affective disorders or neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders. Patients were divided into 2 groups: with active health care-seeking behavior (those who visited a doctor in less than 6 months after appearance of symptoms) and passive health care-seeking behavior (those who visited a doctor in 6 months or longer after appearance of symptoms). Methods: clinical status and anamnesis were analyzed; 4-point scale was used to measure the social adjustment. Results: social adjustment strongly affects the activity of care-seeking in contrast to clinical and psychopathological factors. Poor routine and marital social adjustment potentiate care-seeking. Panic attacks are more widespread in patients with active care-seeking and phobic anxiety - in patients with passive care-seeking. Acute type of onset is a factor of active care seeking.