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Life events, social problems and physical health status as predictors of emotional distress in men and women in a community setting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Christa Zimmermann-Tansella ,
Stefano Donini ,
Marcello Lattanzi ,
Orazio Siciliani ,
Cesare Turrina  and
Greg Wilkinson
Christa Zimmermann-Tansella*
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Academic Sub-department of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Wales
Stefano Donini
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Academic Sub-department of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Wales
Marcello Lattanzi
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Academic Sub-department of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Wales
Orazio Siciliani
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Academic Sub-department of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Wales
Cesare Turrina
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Academic Sub-department of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Wales
Greg Wilkinson
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy, Academic Sub-department of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Wales
*
1Address for correspondence: Professor Christa Zimmermann-Tansella, Servizio di Psicologia Medica, Istituto di Psichiatria, Ospedale Policlinico, 37134 Verona, Italy.
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Synopsis

The main aim of this study was to construct logistic models of emotional distress (defined as a GHQ-30 score of 6 or greater) in a community sample of 226 men and 225 women. The independent variables included were: sociodemographic characteristics, physical health status, social problems and undesirable life events. Univariate comparisons showed that in both sexes undesirable life events and social problems were associated with emotional distress; in men the presence of physical symptoms and widowed, separated or divorced status also showed such an association. Separate logistic regression models for men and women confirmed the importance of undesirable life events and social problems as predictors for emotional distress. In women there was also a significant interaction effect between the two variables on emotional distress. Sociodemographic characteristics and physical health status did not exert a statistically significant effect in these models.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , May 1991 , pp. 505 - 513
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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