The Interaction between Physical Illness and Neurotic Morbidity in the Community

Abstract

SummaryAs part of an epidemiological survey of a rural community in the North of Spain we analysed the interaction between physical illness and neurotic morbidity using a two-phase cross-sectional analysis of a representative sample of the population over 15 years old. There was a very high prevalence of neurosis in the somatically ill (males—15.6 per cent, females—33.1 per cent) and much physical pathology in the group of neurotics (males—42.4 per cent, females—39 per cent). The personal characteristics of the sample, as well as some sociological factors like rural-urban way of life, educational level and social class, appear to influence the relationship between both types of illness. The neurotic morbidity of the somatic group comprised depressive, anxiety and hypochondriac types.