Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Álvarez-Tomás, Irene
• Soler, Joaquim
• Schmidt, Carlos
• Pascual, Juan C.

Titel

Physical health, primary care utilization and long-term quality of life in borderline personality disorder: A 10-year follow-up study in a Spanish sample

Ist Teil von

• Journal of psychosomatic research, 2024-04, Vol.179, p.111623-111623, Article 111623

Ort / Verlag

England: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• We aimed to study physical health and primary care utilization in the long-term course of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and their impact on quality of life (QOL) in a Spanish clinical sample. This study is part of a longitudinal study following a clinical cohort with BPD. A total of 41 participants were re-evaluated at 10-year follow-up, when current medical conditions, primary care utilization, and quality of life were assessed. Comparative population data were extracted from the Catalan Health Survey ESCA. 68% of BPD patients reported physical health problems, and 32% informed of multiple medical illnesses at follow-up. Higher rates of musculoskeletal disorders and frequent use of general practitioner (GP) consultations were reported by BPD patients compared to the general population. Differences in physical health and use of primary care services between remitted and non-remitted BPD patients were not significant. BPD remission was independently associated with better long-term QOL. Comorbid somatic diseases worsened the long-term QOL of non-remitted BPD patients. Chronic somatic conditions are prevalent in people with BPD and interact negatively with persistent BPD pathology, worsening their QOL in the long-term. Health care strategies in the assistance of long-lasting BPD patients are recommended. •Chronic somatic conditions are prevalent in people with BPD in the longer term.•People with BPD may use primary care services frequently over time.•Physical health comorbidities hamper the quality of life of non-remitted BPD patients.•Ongoing physical health care warrants particular attention in people diagnosed with BPD.