Somatoform disorders: A help or hindrance to good patient care?

The paper by de Waal and colleagues (2004, this issue) reports on the prevalence of somatoform disorders in Dutch primary care. They found that at least one out of six patients seen by general practitioners could be regarded as having a somatoform disorder, almost all in the non-specific category of undifferentiated somatoform disorder. The prevalence of the condition has major implications for medical services but what does this diagnosis mean? Is receiving a diagnosis of somatoform disorder of any benefit to the patient? Does it help the doctor to provide treatment?