[Physical complaints and subjective stress in working relatives].
This study was undertaken to determine the extent of physical complaints in relation to the degree of subjective burden sustained by those who care for ill relatives at home. The sampled group consisted of 114 carers (98 women, 16 men), average age 58 +/- 13 years, looking after relatives with various illnesses and various levels of care requirements. Extensive caring was needed by 48%. The complaints were documented on the Giessen Symptoms Form and the stress on the Domestic Care Scale. The extent of the symptoms compared with the general population was expressed by percentage ranking: PR > 50 (above-average extent of symptoms) and PR < or = 50 (average or below-average extent of symptoms). This sample revealed above-average extent of symptoms both for the overall stress (PR > 50: 70%; PR < or = 50: 30%, P < 0.001) as for limb aches (79 vs 21%, P < 0.001), tendency to exhaustion (74 vs 26%, P < 0.001), stomach complaints (65 vs 35%, P < 0.01) and cardiac symptoms (62 vs 38%, P < 0.02). The extent of symptoms was significantly related to the degree of stress. With less stress the relationship was similar to that in the general population (48 vs 52%), while moderate stress (71 vs 29%, P < 0.001) and especially marked stress (94 vs 6%, P < 0.001) caused a marked increase in symptoms.
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Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Psychopathometrie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005121:Extremities / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014937:Work
Körperbeschwerden und subjektive Belastung bei pflegenden Angehörigen.