title: Subjective health complaints and psychosocial work environment among university personnel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Questionnaires are often used to study health problems in working populations. An association between self-reported symptoms and psychosocial strain has been suggested, but results from such studies are difficult to interpret, as a gender difference might be present. The knowledge in this area is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the prevalence of subjective health symptoms and their relation to psychosocial work strain among men and women in different age groups, all working as university staff.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was carried out among university personnel. The questionnaire included a subjective health complaint inventory consisting of 29 items about subjective somatic and psychological symptoms experienced during the last 30 days and psychosocial work factors. Regression analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 172 (86%) of 201 eligible employees participated. Women had a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms than men. Significant differences were found between the genders for headaches, neck pain and arm pain. There was a significant relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms and work strain for both genders. This was found for both men and women below 40 years and among men above the age of 40. No significant difference was found between genders regarding pseudoneurological, gastrointestinal, allergic and flu-like symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More female than male university personnel reported musculoskeletal symptoms. The musculoskeletal symptoms were associated with high work strain in both genders, but, for women, this was limited to employees under the age of 40. The cause of this gender difference is unknown.
authors.affiliation: University of Bergen, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Bergen, Norway. bente.moen@isf.uib.no
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Moen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wieslander
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Bakke
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Norbäck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D019547:Neck Pain; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D009790:Occupations; D015995:Prevalence; D020377:Self Efficacy; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D014937:Work; D016526:Workload