title: [Regional and individual factors of stress experience in Germany: results of a representative survey with the perceived stress questionnaire (PSQ)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to define, besides prevalence data, regional and individual factors of stress experience in a representative sample of the German general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Regional factors were examined separately by federal state and the size of the political location. Individual factors were defined according to the severity of the stress experience as well as on the basis of central social factors such as family state, profession and earnings. The Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), a validated, self-evaluation process for recording a subjective representation of frequency estimates of stress experiences was used. Data acquisition was carried out by a market research institute in a multi-topic questionnaire (N=2,552). Households were selected by the random route procedure, target persons were also selected at random.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate for an elevated stress experience was 14.5%, that for a very high stress experience 3.1% of the sample. People without education exhibited the highest rates of stress experience (36.8%), followed by the unemployed (30.6%). Individual and social factors that favour an increased stress experience are a subjectively poor state of health (OR: 3.42) or belonging to the lower social economic status (OR: 1.30). Furthermore, there are indications of regional factors such as size of the location as well as differences between the individual federal states. An east-west comparion did not show any significant differences with regard to stress experiences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the light of the illness burden associated with chronic stress situations, preventative measures in cases of unemployment or low level of education should be given priority.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig. kocalevent@medizin.unileipzig.de
authors.forename: R-D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Kocalevent
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hinz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Klapp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult