MELVILLE P H, LAXER R M
Can Med Assoc J. 1964 Jun 27;90(26):1435-41.
This study compares the subjective symptoms recorded by questionnaire, and the diagnoses applied, in 289 adult medical outpatients of six national origins, namely, Canada (Ontario), England, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Scotland. No significant differences were observed in the number or type of symptoms presented among the national groups. In each group, women and patients with psychological diagnoses reported more symptoms. There were considerable differences in the incidence of somatic (organic) and psychological diagnoses between the groups, which did not reflect equivalent variations in the incidence of definite clinical entities. It is suggested that the symptom habits of the groups studied appeared similar, with the method of investigation used, but that difficulties in patient-physician communication may lead to significantly different diagnostic habits for the national groups involved.
本研究比较了通过问卷调查记录的主观症状以及针对来自六个国家（即加拿大（安大略省）、英格兰、德国、匈牙利、意大利和苏格兰）的289名成年门诊患者所做出的诊断。在不同国籍组中，所呈现症状的数量或类型未观察到显著差异。在每组中，女性和患有心理疾病诊断的患者报告的症状更多。各组之间在躯体（器质性）和心理疾病诊断的发生率上存在相当大的差异，这并未反映出明确临床病症发生率的同等变化。研究表明，在所采用的调查方法下，所研究组的症状习惯似乎相似，但患者与医生沟通中的困难可能导致所涉及国籍组的诊断习惯存在显著差异。
