Determinants of complaint symptoms in a Swedish health care practice - results of a questionnaire survey

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of complaint symptoms in an adult general practice population. Method: The study was performed in 1055 out of 1442 consecutive adult patients visiting a Swedish health care centre. The relationship between complaint symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics, perceived health, and chronic disease was assessed using multiple regression analysis. Results: Gender and perceived health were related to all symptom categories independently of each other, and when the effects of various symptom categories were taken into account in the regression analysis, the depression and tension symptom categories could predict about 50% of the explanation. Conclusion: The results of this study Suggest that psychiatric symptoms, particularly depression and tension symptoms, interact and have an impact on somatic symptom reporting in addition to sociodemographic characteristics, perceived health, and chronic disease, which have impact on only some symptom categories. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.