title: Symptoms by age and sex. The population studies of men and women in Gothenburg, Sweden.
abstract: Symptoms by age and sex were studied in two population studies from Gothenburg, Sweden. In general, men and women showed the same age-related pattern. The prevalence of the following symptoms increased with age--sleeping disturbances, pain in the joints, pain in the legs, breathlessness, and impaired hearing. Six symptoms decreased with age--general fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, cough, and headache. A group of symptoms showed a curvilinear shape with a peak at the age of 50. In general, women presented more symptoms than men. This was especially true for symptoms of depression and tension. A possible explanation is that women are more attentive to their internal state. A more probable explanation, supported by our study, is that the mental symptoms are related to the woman's situation in life with double work (responsible for both work and family).
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Uppsala University, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tibblin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Furunes
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lapidus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden; D014505:Urban Population