From Pain to Diagnosis: Somatic Presentations of Anxiety and Depression in Albanian Adults

By Orjola PAMPURI, Evita KARANXHA, Artemida CECA, Marinela TANUSHI, Arba KARAJ, Altea RROSHI, Artina ÇOKA, Nerxhivane MEHMETI, Matilda TOPOLLAJ, Elsida HYSEN

Abstract
This study explores the prevalence of, and relationships among, somatic symptoms,
depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and general help-seeking behaviors in the Albanian context. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed using convenience and snowball sampling, involving 181 adult participants (116 women and 65 men). Data were collected through the standardized instruments PHQ-15, PHQ-9, GAD-7, and GHSQ. The results revealed significant associations between psychological and somatic symptoms, no significant differences across gender and age groups, and a strong orientation towards informal sources of help-seeking. Depressive and anxiety symptoms emerged as stronger predictors of help-seeking behavior than somatic symptoms or demographic factors such as gender and age. These findings highlight the need for a stronger integration of mental health services into primary healthcare in Albania.