A Recommendation for the Management of Illness Anxiety Disorder Patients Abusing the Health Care System

Introduction. Illness anxiety disorder (IAD) entails a preoccupation with having a serious, undiagnosed illness in which somatic symptoms are, if present, mild in intensity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Case Report. This is a case of seventy-three-year-old Saudi man who started visiting...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Almalki, Ibrahim Al-Tawayjri, Ahmed Al-Anazi, Sami Mahmoud, Ahmad Al-Mohrej
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Psychiatry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6073598
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author Mohammad Almalki
Ibrahim Al-Tawayjri
Ahmed Al-Anazi
Sami Mahmoud
Ahmad Al-Mohrej
author_facet Mohammad Almalki
Ibrahim Al-Tawayjri
Ahmed Al-Anazi
Sami Mahmoud
Ahmad Al-Mohrej
author_sort Mohammad Almalki
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. Illness anxiety disorder (IAD) entails a preoccupation with having a serious, undiagnosed illness in which somatic symptoms are, if present, mild in intensity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Case Report. This is a case of seventy-three-year-old Saudi man who started visiting the primary health care center around twenty-five years ago. With concerns of having cancer, the patient continuously visited the hospital, costing over $170,000. Throughout this period, the patient has been exposed to extensive unnecessary imaging studies and laboratory tests that have effects on his life in all aspects with such concerns. Five years ago, a family doctor has put an end to that by directing the patient to the right path. The doctor made several actions; most importantly, he directed the patient to a cognitive behavioral therapy which significantly improved a range of hypochondriacal beliefs and attitudes. This patient’s case demonstrates the fundamental importance of a proper health system that limits such patients from abusing the health system and depleting the medical resources. Moreover, this case emphasizes the important role of the family physician who can be the first physician to encounter such patients. Thus, proper understanding of the nature of such disorder is a key element for better diagnosis and management.
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spelling doaj-art-428aeb41359f44a3bd3eb9cd6bb994812025-08-20T02:37:57ZengWileyCase Reports in Psychiatry2090-682X2090-68382016-01-01201610.1155/2016/60735986073598A Recommendation for the Management of Illness Anxiety Disorder Patients Abusing the Health Care SystemMohammad Almalki0Ibrahim Al-Tawayjri1Ahmed Al-Anazi2Sami Mahmoud3Ahmad Al-Mohrej4College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaIntroduction. Illness anxiety disorder (IAD) entails a preoccupation with having a serious, undiagnosed illness in which somatic symptoms are, if present, mild in intensity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Case Report. This is a case of seventy-three-year-old Saudi man who started visiting the primary health care center around twenty-five years ago. With concerns of having cancer, the patient continuously visited the hospital, costing over $170,000. Throughout this period, the patient has been exposed to extensive unnecessary imaging studies and laboratory tests that have effects on his life in all aspects with such concerns. Five years ago, a family doctor has put an end to that by directing the patient to the right path. The doctor made several actions; most importantly, he directed the patient to a cognitive behavioral therapy which significantly improved a range of hypochondriacal beliefs and attitudes. This patient’s case demonstrates the fundamental importance of a proper health system that limits such patients from abusing the health system and depleting the medical resources. Moreover, this case emphasizes the important role of the family physician who can be the first physician to encounter such patients. Thus, proper understanding of the nature of such disorder is a key element for better diagnosis and management.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6073598
spellingShingle Mohammad Almalki
Ibrahim Al-Tawayjri
Ahmed Al-Anazi
Sami Mahmoud
Ahmad Al-Mohrej
A Recommendation for the Management of Illness Anxiety Disorder Patients Abusing the Health Care System
Case Reports in Psychiatry
title A Recommendation for the Management of Illness Anxiety Disorder Patients Abusing the Health Care System
title_full A Recommendation for the Management of Illness Anxiety Disorder Patients Abusing the Health Care System
title_fullStr A Recommendation for the Management of Illness Anxiety Disorder Patients Abusing the Health Care System
title_full_unstemmed A Recommendation for the Management of Illness Anxiety Disorder Patients Abusing the Health Care System
title_short A Recommendation for the Management of Illness Anxiety Disorder Patients Abusing the Health Care System
title_sort recommendation for the management of illness anxiety disorder patients abusing the health care system
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6073598
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