The aim of this study is to present a complete scoring system for subjective health complaints (SHC) as they are experienced by the lay population. The scoring system records the complaints, and does not map attributions or medical diagnoses. In all, 1,219 subjects (323 men, 896 women) from various occupations were tested with a scoring system, the SHC inventory, previously referred to as the Ursin Health Inventory (UHI). The SHC consists of 29 questions concerning severity and duration of subjective somatic and psychological complaints. The SHC inventory yields scores on single items and a total number of health complaints categorized into five factors: musculoskeletal pain (α=0.74), pseudoneurology (α=0.73), gastrointestinal problems (α=0.62), allergy (α=0.58) and flu (α=0.67). The SHC inventory is a systematic, easy, and reliable way to score subjective health complaints. The prevalence of these complaints is high, and should be considered before conclusions are reached about new diseases and new attributions of environmental hazards.
Tellnes G., Svendsen KO, Bruusgaard D., Bjerkedal T.Incidence of sickness certification. Proposal for use as a health status indicator . Scand J Prim Health Care1989; 7(2): 111 - 7.
2.
verås S.Health Book 1995. Main trends in the health and health services in Norway . Oslo: Statistics Norway , 1995.
3.
Ursin H.Sensitization, somatization, and subjective health complaints. Int J Behav Med1997; 4(2): 105-16.
4.
Haldorsen Emh , Brage S., Johannessen TS, Tellnes G., Ursin H.Musculoskeletal pain: concepts of disease, illness and sickness certification in health professionals in Norway. Scand J Rheumatol1996; 25: 224-32.
5.
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994.
6.
Wessely S.Old wine in new bottles: neurasthenia and ``ME''. Psychol Med1990; 20(1): 35-53.
7.
Eriksen HR, Svendsrød R., Ursin G., Ursin H.Prevalence of subjective health complaints in the Nordic European countries in 1993. Eur J Public Health. 1998 ; 8: 294-8.
8.
Brahler E., Scheer J.Der Giessener Beschwerdebogen (GBB). Bern: Hans Huber, 1983.
9.
Kuorinka I., Jonsson B., Kilbom A., et al. Standardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. Appl Ergon1987; 18(3): 233-7.
10.
Chalder T., Berelowitz G., Pawlikowska T., et al. Development of a fatigue scale. J Psychosom Res1993; 37(2): 147-53.
11.
Bell IR, Peterson JM, Schwartz GEMedical histories and psychological profiles of middle-aged women with and without self-reported illness from environmental chemicals. J Clin Psychiatry1995; 56(4): 151-60.
12.
Meads S.The WHO Reason-for-Encounter Classification. WHO Chron1983; 37(5): 159-62.
13.
Goldberg DP , Hillier VFA scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire . Psychol Med1979; 9(1): 139-45.
14.
Anderson RT , Aaronson NK, Wilkin D.Critical review of the international assessments of health-related quality of life. Qual Life Res1993; 2(6): 369-95.
15.
Bowling A.Measuring health. A review of quality of life measurement scales. 2nd ed. Buckingham: Open University Press, 1997.
16.
Ursin H., Endresen IM, Ursin G.Psychological factors and self-reports of muscle pain. Eur J Appl Physiol1988; 57(3): 282-90.
17.
Endresen IM , Værnes R., Ursin H., Tønder O.Psychological stress factors and concentration of immunoglobulins and complement components in Norwegian nurses. Work Stress1987; 1(4): 365-75.
18.
Augestad LB , Levander S.Personality, health and job stress among employees in a Norwegian penitentiary and in a maximum-security hospital . Work Stress1992; 6(1): 65-79.
19.
Bru E., Mykletun RJ, Svebak S.Neuroticism, extraversion, anxiety and Type A behaviour as mediators of neck, shoulder and lower back pain in female hospital staff. Person Individ Diff1993; 15(5): 485-92.
20.
Bru E., Mykletun RJ, Sveback S.Assessment of musculoskeletal and other health complaints in female hospital staff. Appl Ergon1994; 25(2): 101-5.
21.
Bru E., Svebak S., Mykletun RJ, Gitlesen JPBack pain, dysphoric versus euphoric moods and the experience of stress and effort in female hospital staff. Person Individ Diff1997; 22(4): 565-73.
22.
Olff M., Brosschot JF, Godaert G.Coping styles and health. Person Individ Diff1993; 15(1): 81-90.
23.
Eriksen HR, Ellertsen B., Grønningsæter H., Nakken KO, Løyning Y., Ursin H.Physical exercise in women with intractable epilepsy. Epilepsia1994; 35(6): 1256-64.
24.
Eriksen HR, Olff M., Ursin H.The CODE: a revised battery for coping and defense and its relations to subjective health. Scand J Psychol1997 ; 38: 175-82.
25.
Lindstrøm TCImmunity and somatic health in bereavement. A prospective study of 39 Norwegian widows. OMEGA J Death Dying1997; 35(2): 231-41.
26.
Lindstrøm TCImmunity and health after bereavement in relation to coping. Scand J Psychol1997; 38: 253-9.
27.
Aasland OG, Olff M., Falkum E., Schweder T., Ursin H.Health complaints and job stress in Norwegian physicians: the use of an overlapping questionnaire design. Soc Sci Med1997; 45(11): 1615-29.
28.
Endresen IM , Ellertsen B., Endresen C., et al. Stress at work and psychological and immunological parameters in a group of Norwegian female bank employees. Work Stress1991; 5(3): 217-27.
29.
Grønningsæter H., Christensen CC, Larsen S., Ursin H.Health, job stress and psychological defense in physically active and inactive subjects. Scand J Med Sci Sports1991; 1: 104-11.
30.
Grønningsæter H., Hytten K., Skauli G., Christensen CC, Ursin H.Improved health and coping by physical exercise or cognitive behavioral stress management training in a work environment. Psychol Health1992; 7(2): 147-63.
31.
Haldorsen Emb , Indahl A., Ursin H.Low back pain patients not returning to work: a 12-month follow-up study. Spine. 1998; 23(11): 1202-8 .
32.
Haldorsen Emb , Kronholm K., Skouen JS, Ursin H.Multimodal cognitive behavioural treatment of patients sicklisted for musculoskeletal pain: a randomized controlled study . Scand J Rheumatol1998; 27: 1-25.
33.
Haldorsen Emh , Wormgoor Mea, Bjørholt PG, Ursin H.Predictors for outcome of a functional restoration program for low back patients: a 12-month follow-up study. EurJ Phys Med Rehab1998 ; 8(4): 103-9.
34.
Krogstad BS , Jokstad A., Dahl BL, Vassend O.Relationships between risk factors and treatment outcome in a group of patients with temporomandibular disorders. J OrofacPain1996; 10(1): 48-53.
35.
Krogstad BS , Jokstad A., Dahl BL, Vassend O.The reporting of pain, somatic complaints, and anxiety in a group of patients with TMD before and 2 years after treatment: sex differences. J Orofac Pain1996; 10(3): 263 - 9.
36.
Nivison ME , Endresen IMAn analysis of relationships among environmental noise, annoyance and sensitivity to noise, and the consequences for health and sleep. J Behav Med1993; 16(3): 257-76.
37.
Sandal GM, Værnes R., Bergan T., Warncke M., Ursin H.Psychological reactions during polar expeditions and isolation in hyperbaric chambers. Aviat Space Environ Med1996; 67(3): 227-34.
38.
Vassend O. , Krogstad BS, Dahl BLNegative affectivity, somatic complaints, and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. J Psychosom Res1995; 39(7): 889 - 99.
Bredkjaer SRMusculoskeletal disease in Denmark. The Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 1986-87. Acta Orthop Scand1991; Suppl 241: 10-2.
41.
Tibblin G., Bengtsson C., Furunes B., Lapidus L.Symptoms by age and sex. The population studies of men and women in Gothenburg, Sweden. Scand J Prim Health Care1990; 8(1): 9-17.
42.
Unruh AMGender variations in clinical pain experience. Pain1996; 65(2-3): 123-67.
43.
Spurgeon A. , Gompertz D., Harrington JMModifiers of non-specific symptoms in occupational and environmental syndromes. Occup Environ Med1996; 53(6): 361-6.
