OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to explore the wish of gynecological and obstetric inpatients to attend psychosomatic services. Predictors influencing this wish are evaluated.

METHOD: Three groups of patients participated in the study. The groups consisted of patients diagnosed with malignant gynecological diseases (n = 175), benign gynecological diseases (n = 302), and obstetric diseases (n = 238). The following domains were assessed in a cross-sectional design: symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS), physical complaints (GBB-24), health-related quality of life (SF-12), and the wish to attend psychosomatic services.

RESULTS: 34% of the participants indicated that they wanted to attend psychosomatic services during their stay in the hospital. The group of patients diagnosed with malignant gynecological diseases had the highest proportion of women who stated that wish (43%). Multiple logistic regression models showed that former psychotherapeutic experiences as well as low psychological quality of life predicted the wish to attend psychosomatic services in patients diagnosed with malignant gynecological or obstetric diseases.

CONCLUSION: It was shown that a considerable proportion of patients wanted to attend psychosomatic care during their hospitalization. Contrary to physical and sociodemographic variables, psychological factors were significant predictors of the inpatient's wish to attend psychosomatic services. This suggests that the subjective estimation of impairments is a major predictor of the wish to attend psychosomatic care.