Understanding the Healthcare Journey to Specialized Assessment for Young People Aged 12 to 25 With Somatic Symptom Disorder Through Interviews

What This Trial Is About

This research aims to trace the healthcare journey of young individuals aged 12 to 25 years who have been diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder SSD. The study focuses on understanding the sequence of care these patients receive before they undergo a specialized multidisciplinary assessment. It addresses the challenge of SSD diagnosis and management, noting the complexity and variability in how these symptoms present and are classified, as well as the lack of detailed data on healthcare use and patient experiences in this area. Participants undergo face-to-face interviews assisted by a biographical grid designed to capture detailed retrospective data. This includes all healthcare events such as medical visits, emergency services, hospital admissions, diagnostic tests, medication use, and various treatments. Additionally, life events relating to education, family, friendships, and leisure activities are recorded to analyze their relationship with healthcare usage. Both patients and their parents participate in the interviews to provide comprehensive perspectives. During the study, researchers collect and analyze these detailed interviews to describe the subjective experience of the healthcare pathway. They measure the timing and occurrence of healthcare and life events, as well as changes in somatic symptoms. A qualitative analysis of the transcribed interviews is conducted over up to 24 months to better understand patient histories and healthcare consumption patterns. The study spans from June 2026 to June 2028, with data collection focusing on the day of inclusion and long-term follow-up for qualitative insights.

Mapping the Healthcare Pathway to Multidisciplinary Assessment of 12-25 Year Olds With Somatic Symptom Disorder