The effect of stressful life situations on the healing of duodenal ulceration.

Ninety-five duodenal ulcer patients were assessed by a gastro-enterologist as being either difficult or easy healers. Difficult healers were defined as those taking longer than 6 weeks to heal or those who relapsed within 6 months of healing, as assessed by endoscopy. Easy healers were defined as being healed within 6 weeks of treatment and remaining healed. The detailed psychosocial questionnaires compiled for patients were analysed in terms of stressful life situations experienced at the time of treatment. Significantly more stressful life situations occurred in patients with a difficult healing period than in those who experienced easy healing. Of the stressful life situations which were considered the area of family stress appeared most crucial in retarding easy recovery.