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01-10-2008 | Original Article

Gender differences in students’ health complaints: a survey in seven countries

Authors: Christiane Stock, Rafael T. Mikolajczyk, Nazmi Bilir, Janina Petkeviciene, Vihra Naydenova, Urszula Dudziak, Blanca Marin-Fernandez, Walid El Ansari

Published in: Journal of Public Health | Issue 5/2008

Abstract

Aims

This study sought to determine the relationship among gender, quality of life and subjective health complaints in university students from six European countries and Turkey.

Subjects and methods

In surveys conducted between 1998 and 2005, ten health complaints were measured in a sample of 5,317 university students by a symptom checklist with a self-administered questionnaire, which also contained questions on socio-demographic variables and a one-item quality of life measure.

Results

The gender-standardised prevalence was highest for nervousness and headache followed by back ache or neck/shoulder ache in most of the countries. Overall, students from Turkey and Spain reported the highest level of complaints and students from Denmark and Lithuania the lowest. Female students were significantly more likely to report health complaints. The gender difference was consistent across types of complaints and study sites, but varied in size. It was on average smallest in Turkey and strongest in the Slavic countries, Poland and Bulgaria. Among all health complaints, depressive moods had the strongest negative impact on quality of life.

Conclusion

Although the results cannot be generalized to the general populations of the respective countries, the different profiles of reported complaints and gender differences should give rise to special interventions in these populations of young adults.

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Title: Gender differences in students’ health complaints: a survey in seven countries
Authors: Christiane Stock
Rafael T. Mikolajczyk
Nazmi Bilir
Janina Petkeviciene
Vihra Naydenova
Urszula Dudziak
Blanca Marin-Fernandez
Walid El Ansari
Publication date: 01-10-2008
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Journal of Public Health / Issue 5/2008
Print ISSN: 2198-1833
Electronic ISSN: 1613-2238
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-007-0173-6

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Gender differences in students’ health complaints: a survey in seven countries

Abstract

Aims

Subjects and methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Aims

Subjects and methods

Results

Conclusion

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