Frequency of somatic symptoms in the general population: Normative values for the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15).
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND: The PHQ-15 is widely used as an open access screening instrument for somatic symptoms in different health care settings. The objectives of the study were to contribute to the construct … validity and to generate normative data for the PHQ-15. METHODS: The survey was conducted in the general population in Germany from August 2011 to November 2014 (n=9250). All participants underwent an extensive core assessment including a set of questionnaires. RESULTS: Men reported significantly less (p<0.001) physical symptoms than women (4.6 [SD=3.6] vs. 6.3 [SD=4.1]). The PHQ-15 total score was strongly correlated with the physical component of quality of life (r=-0.58), fatigue (r=0.56), anxiety (r=0.54) and sleep problems (r=0.54). While high socioeconomic status was associated with low prevalences of all complaints, obesity was associated with some of the complaints, especially shortness of breath and pain in arms, legs, and joints. Normative data for the PHQ-15 were generated for men and women. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation confirms the burden caused by somatic symptoms in terms of impaired physical quality of life. In association with psychosocial consequences such as anxiety as well as sleep problems, future studies should also focus on the disease burden of somatic symptoms. In addition, the normative data provide a framework for the interpretation and comparison with other populations.

Authors: A. Hinz, J. Ernst, H. Glaesmer, E. Brahler, F. G. Rauscher, K. Petrowski, R. D. Kocalevent

Date Published: 27th May 2017

Publication Type: Journal article

Age- and gender-specific norms for the German version of the Three-Factor Eating-Questionnaire (TFEQ).
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

The 'Fragebogen zum Essverhalten' (FEV) is the German version of the Three-factor-Eating-Questionnaire (TFEQ). This questionnaire covers three domains of eating behaviour ('cognitive … restraint', 'disinhibition' and 'hunger') as well as common problems (e.g. craving for sweets). So far, there is a lack of normative data of the FEV especially for the middle-aged and older population. Aim of this study therefore was to provide age- and gender-specific norms of the FEV for the general population aged 40-79 years. We studied 3144 participants of the ongoing large community-based Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases (LIFE) Health Care Study. We provided age- (four age groups: 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70-79 years) and gender-specific percentile ranks and T-scores for the three domains of the FEV as well as age- and gender-specific frequencies of the common problems in eating behaviour. Females scored significantly higher than males in all three domains of the FEV (p < 0.001). Older individuals showed significantly higher mean scores than the younger ones in the domain of cognitive restraint, but lower mean scores in disinhibition and hunger (p < 0.001). 45.1% of the males and 69.9% of the females reported specific problems in eating. The main problem in both genders was craving for sweets (38.6%). Eating in response to stress was mostly reported in younger individuals. The present study offers current normative data for the FEV in the middle-aged and older general population that can be applied in clinical and non-clinical settings. Information on eating behaviour can be helpful in understanding body weight modulation, and thus, may help to improve interventive and preventive programmes for overweight, obesity, and eating disorders.

Authors: A. Loffler, T. Luck, F. S. Then, M. Luppa, C. Sikorski, P. Kovacs, A. Tonjes, Y. Bottcher, J. Breitfeld, A. Horstmann, M. Loffler, C. Engel, J. Thiery, M. Stumvoll, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 19th Apr 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: obesity, eating disorder

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