Self-Reported Psychosomatic Complaints In Swedish Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults Living in Rural and Urban Areas: An Internet-Based Survey

Abstract

BackgroundFrequencies in reported psychosomatic illnesses have increased in Sweden among children, adolescents, and young adults. Little is known about demographic differences in self-reported psychosomatic complaints, such as between urban and rural areas, and whether surveys launched on the Internet could be a useful method in sampling such data.ObjectivesThis study examines the connection between psychosomatic illnesses and demographics in Swedish children and youth. The feasibility of using the Internet to gather large amounts of data regarding psychosomatic complaints in this group is another major objective of this study.MethodsA cross-sectional study using 7 validated questions about psychosomatic health, were launched in a controlled way onto a recognized Swedish Internet community site, which targeted users 10 to 24 years of age. The subjects were able to answer the items while they were logged in to their personal domain. The results were analyzed cross-geographically within Sweden.ResultsIn total, we received 100,000 to 130,000 individual answers per question. Subjects of both sexes generally reported significantly higher levels of self-reported psychosomatic complaints in major city areas as compared with minor city/rural areas, even though the differences between the areas were small. For example, 12.00% (4472/37,265) of females in minor regions reported always feeling tense, compared with 13.80% (3156/22,873) of females in major regions (P<.001). In males, the answer pattern was similar, 16.40% (4887/29,801) in major regions versus 15.60% (2712/17,386) in minor regions, (P=.006). Females reported significantly higher frequencies of psychosomatic complaints than males (P<.001).ConclusionsIn subjects aged 10 to 24 years, higher levels of psychosomatic complaints appear to correlate with living in major city areas in comparison with minor city/rural areas. Surveys launched on the Internet could be a useful method in sampling data regarding psychosomatic health for this age group.

Self-perception of physical activity and fitness is related to lower psychosomatic health symptoms in adolescents with unhealthy lifestyles

“…This might be explained by the growing popularity of screen-based activities and sedentary lifestyle, which are related to backache and headache [9]. The majority of studies show that the prevalence of PHC is higher in girls [2, 10–12] and increases with age [2]. The region of Northern Europe has a minor but significant increasing trend in adolescent PHC between 1980 and 2016 [13].…”

Adolescent outdoor life and well-being

“…Mental health problems among adolescents are a primary public health concern in many high-income countries Collishaw & Sellers, 2020;Erskine et al, 2015), including Sweden, where self-reported complaints, such as stress and psychosomatic symptoms, have increased (Bremberg, 2015;Laundy Frisenstam, Van Den Bosch, Chen, Friberg, & Osika, 2017;Löfstedt, Arnarsson, Corell, Lyyra, Madsen, Torsheim, & Eriksson, 2020). This trend is especially prominent among Swedish secondary school students, and girls in particular (Hagquist, 2015;, with adolescents living in cities more likely to report psychosomatic symptoms (Laundy Frisenstam et al, 2017). Despite these trends, levels of life satisfaction have remained relatively stable in recent decades (Folkhälsomyndigheten, 2018).…”

Examining the association between parenting and psychosomatic problems: self-esteem as a mediator across ages in early adolescence

“…Without sufficient support from parents, stressors during adolescence often manifest as psychosomatic problems, defined as physiological manifestations of psychological distress (Berntsson, Ringsberg, Eriksson, & Köhler, 2015;Hagquist, 2016;Laundy Frisenstam, van den Bosch, Chen, Friberg, & Osika, 2017). The prevalence of internalizing disorders increases dramatically during adolescence (e.g.…”