Relationships between physical symptoms and pubertal development.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between physical symptoms and pubertal status and timing in adolescents.


METHODS
This descriptive study was based on cross-sectional analysis of survey data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health including a school-based sample of more than 20,000 adolescents in grades 7 through 12. Self-reported physical symptoms during the past 12 months were examined. Pubertal development was measured as pubertal status (early, mid, and advanced pubertal) and timing (early timing, on time, and late timing).


RESULTS
Headaches and musculoskeletal pains were the most commonly reported symptoms among advanced pubertal status respondents. Headache was more prominent among girls; among boys, musculoskeletal complaints were predominant. For both sexes, on-time developers were less likely to report physical symptoms when compared with the two off-timing groups. Among girls, pubertal status and timing were more closely associated with various types of symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
This study underscores the importance of both the objective signs of pubertal changes and youngsters' own perception of their pubertal changes in assessing and addressing physical symptoms.
Rhee
Hyekyun
H
Department of Family, Community and Mental Health Systems, University of Virginia, School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA, USA. kr3k@virginia.edu
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D004244:Dizziness / Q000453:epidemiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology