The European Association of Psychosomatic Medicine (EAPM) is set to host its highly anticipated 10th Annual Scientific Conference in Wroclaw, focusing on fostering meaningful dialogues between professionals. The European Association of Psychosomatic Medicine is a renowned organization committed to advancing the field of psychosomatic medicine across Europe. With the EAPM’s 10th Annual Scientific Conference, scheduled to take place from 15-19 June, the stage is set for collaborative efforts and knowledge sharing, paving the way for significant advancements in the field of psychosomatic medicine.
One of the highlights of the conference for ETUDE is the inclusion of two symposiums dedicated to the ETUDE project. In these two symposiums, some of our ESRs will delve into various aspects of healthcare systems and their impact on patient outcomes, shedding light on important advancements in the field.
Symposium 3 on Thursday 15 June (17:45-19:00 in the Widok Room) is titled “ETUDE: Navigating Functional Disorders and Persistent Somatic Symptoms Care across Europe: Exploring Healthcare Systems and their Relationship to Patient Outcomes” and will be chaired by Bernd Löwe and co-chaired by Abigail Smakowski. This symposium will feature a lineup of our ESRs as speakers who will share their research findings and insights. Caroline Rometsch will present her systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of Functional Disorders across Europe. Lina Münker will explore the developmental course of Functional Somatic Symptoms (FSS) from adolescence to late adolescence and its association with internalizing psychopathology. Aleksandra Kustra-Mulder will present a qualitative study on healthcare practitioners’ perspectives on factors impacting symptom persistence and improvement in Persistent Somatic Symptoms. Finally, Nick Mamo will discuss quality indicators for collaborative care networks in functional disorders and persistent somatic symptoms, drawing on a Delphi study.
Symposium 13 on Friday 16 June (16:00-17:15 in the Widok Room) is titled “ETUDE: Personal Encounters with Functional Symptoms” and will be chaired by Nadine Lehnen and co-chaired by Franziska Regnath. This symposium will feature a diverse range of presentations that shed light on the impact of functional symptoms on individuals’ quality of life and wellbeing. Asma Chaabouni will discuss the repercussions of persistent symptoms on patients’ overall well-being. Hõbe Treufeldt will present a scoping review and synthesis on the stigmatization experienced by individuals with persistent symptoms during medical encounters. Brodie Mcghie-Fraser will share insights on the development and measurement properties of a new scale to assess persistent somatic symptom-related stigma among healthcare professionals. Chloe Saunders will explore the challenges of navigating blame and responsibility in explanations for functional somatic symptoms. Saya Niwa will present a systematic review of observational studies on the role of respiratory dysfunction in functional symptoms. Finally, Franziska Regnath will delve into sensorimotor processing deficits as a potential transdiagnostic mechanism underlying functional disorders.
The symposiums will offer a valuable opportunity for our ESRs and other researchers, clinicians, and healthcare practitioners to engage in critical discussions and exchange knowledge about the latest advancements in psychosomatic medicine.
