Seventeen areas of psychosocial distress were evaluated in 87 university
hospital internal medicine clinic patients by a self- administered
questionnaire and a psychiatric interview. These patients' internists then
predicted the patients' distress level in each area. Their predictions
correlated significantly with their patients' self- reports of
distress-level problems in only 3 of the 17 areas. Even when the internists
felt that they had sufficient information to make an accurate prediction,
their perceptions were often erroneous, including evaluations of such areas
as suicidal ideation and drug use. These data suggest the need for active
psychiatric education components in internal medicine training
programs.Abstract Teaser