The relation between the number of symptoms and other health indicators in working men and women

Abstract

Simple symptom counts are widely used Indicators of ill-health in health survey research. However, there has only been little research aimed at a better understanding of symptom counts. The purpose of this study was to explore the number of symptoms (a summary score derived from 10 unspecific self-reported symptoms) in a 'healthy' population. We reanalysed data on a sample of 850 employed men and women (Berne Workplace Health Project).Stepwise ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to study the relation of the number of symptoms to contextual, person-related, behavioural, and health-related variables. In neither men nor women were any of the sociodemographic indicators significantly associated with the number of symptoms. Of the work-related variables, low Job discretion and adverse work environment were significantly associated with the number of symptoms and there was a statistical trend for high job demands. In women, dissatisfaction with salary was the only work-related variable which was significant. The private context, on the other hand, seemed to be more influential for women than for men and there was a statistical trend for strain at home. Among the person-related factors studied, age and emotional problems were significantly associated to the number of symptoms in both men and women. Psychological ill-health and negative future orientation were significant only in men and immersion only In women. Physical inactivity in leisure time was the only behavioural variable found to be significantly associated to the number of symptoms. Among the health-related factors, poor self-rated health was significant for both gender groups, while obesity was significant only in men. Only categories of variables being hypothesized to be unfavourable in terms of hearth were associated with a higher number of symptoms. Most of the associations found seem to be theoretically meaningful. Despite methodological provisos, our findings support a conception of the number of symptoms as an indicator of general ill-hearth.

Homeless Individuals Approaching the End of Life: Symptoms and Attitudes

“…18,19,21 Pain, fatigue, and depression were nearly universal in this sample. The unexpectedly high prevalence of symptoms may reflect the population's unique challenges: high prevalence of physical symptoms associates with markers of psychosocial distress 23,24 ; high prevalence of psychological symptoms may reflect distress or active psychiatric illness. 25 (25) 0 (0) 0 (0) Hair loss 1 (5) 0 (0) 0 (0) a From the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, which assesses symptom frequency, severity, and distress.…”

Women's health: do common symptoms in women mirror general distress or specific disease entities?

“…Studies in other western countries seem to yield a similar picture. The relationships between the number of symptoms and other health indicators were examined in a study from Switzerland (8). Findings revealed that women reported various symptoms more often than men did, but no sociodemographic factor was signi®cantly associated with the number of symptoms reported.…”

Corporate Health Revisited

“…One caution we had about our 1995 findings was our reliance on participants' self-reports of their symptoms. However, Foppa and Noack (1997) analyzed the usefulness of self-reported symptom scales and determined that although overly simplified, symptom scales serve as an effective measure of general health. The work-related factors these authors found to be significantly linked to higher levels of symptoms were low job discretion, high job demands, dissatisfaction with salary, and adverse work environment.…”

“…Schaubroeck and Jones (2000) found that women carried a significantly greater portion of the emotional burden in the workplace and experienced more organizational demands than men but overall retained a more positive demeanor. Foppa and Noack (1997) reported that age and low work discretion, which are both associated with management level, were significantly related to increased health symptoms. Dugdill (2000) and Theorell (1998) found the same result in terms of discretion.…”