Chemical Intolerance in Primary Care Settings: Prevalence, Comorbidity, and Outcomes

Abstract Purpose This study extends previous community-based studies on the prevalence and clinical characteristics of chemical intolerance in a sample of primary care clinic patients. We evaluated comorbid medical and psychiatric disorders, functional status, and rates of health care use. Methods A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of family medicine 2012-07, Vol.10 (4), p.357-365
Main Authors: Katerndahl, David A., MD, MA, Bell, Iris R., MD, PhD, Palmer, Raymond F., PhD, Miller, Claudia S., MD, MS
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of Variance
Chi-Square Distribution
Comorbidity
Female
Humans
Internal Medicine
Male
Mental Disorders - epidemiology
Mental Disorders - psychology
Middle Aged
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - epidemiology
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - psychology
Odds Ratio
Original Research
Physicians, Primary Care
Prevalence
Primary Health Care - methods
Psychometrics
Self Report
Statistics as Topic
Surveys and Questionnaires
Texas - epidemiology
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:Abstract Purpose This study extends previous community-based studies on the prevalence and clinical characteristics of chemical intolerance in a sample of primary care clinic patients. We evaluated comorbid medical and psychiatric disorders, functional status, and rates of health care use. Methods A total of 400 patients were recruited from 2 family medicine clinic waiting rooms in San Antonio, Texas. Patients completed the validated Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI) to assess chemical intolerance; the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) screen for possible psychiatric disorders; the Dartmouth–Northern New England Primary Care Cooperative Information Project (Dartmouth COOP) charts for functional status; and the Healthcare Utilization Questionnaire. Results Overall, 20.3% of the sample met criteria for chemical intolerance. The chemically intolerant group reported significantly higher rates of comorbid allergies and more often met screening criteria for possible major depressive disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and alcohol abuse disorder, as well as somatization disorder. The total number of possible mental disorders was correlated with chemical intolerance scores ( P
ISSN:1544-1709
1544-1717
DOI:10.1370/afm.1346