Gender differences of symptom reporting and medical health care utilization in the German population.

摘要: Aim: Gender differences in morbidity have been widely confirmed representative health surveys North America and Europe. Significantly more women than men suffer from somatic complaints. It is less clear whether symptom reporting provide an impact on care utilization to which degree psychosocial factors exhibit confounding influence. Methods: We analyzed data a examination survey Germany with 7466 participants the age range of 25 69 years. Results: The analysis overall excess female reporting, both total sample (n = 7460; p ≤ 0.001) healthy subsample 906, 0.01). Also, medical services was higher (p 0.0001). A simultaneous related increase prevalence groups peaked group 55–59 years followed by subsequent slight decrease whereas steadily increased over adult life span sexes. As expected, associated levels. Nevertheless, females constantly exhibited males all groups. Age marital status had no univariate influence low social class 0.001), poor perceived/self assessed < 0.0001), high levels chronic distress 0.0001) were reporting. In multivariate analysis, gender lost its significance heightened Poor most pronounced count (F-value 59.1; 0.001). Conclusions: present study confirms services. are not closely related. gap may be largely explained status, health.