Screening tool quick and accurate for somatisation diagnosis

THE Somatic and Psychological Health Report (SPHERE-12) is an accurate screening tool for somatisation diagnosis, Australian research shows.

The questionnaire, which takes 3-5 minutes, measures traditional psychological traits, including nervousness, and somatic symptoms such as fatigue and musculoskeletal pain.

An assessment of 371 patients from general practices across NSW found it identified patients with psychological disorders more accurately than either the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) or the mental disorder diagnostic tool DSM-IV. 

Detection rates significantly increased when the SPHERE-12 was supplemented with a disability measure.

MJA 2008; 188:S114-S118.