Subjective body complaints in the elderly: Standardization of the Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GBB-24)

Author(s): Schumacher, J., Brahler, E.

Journal/Book: Z Gerontol Geriatrie. 1996; 29: C/O Springer-Verlag, Heidelberger Platz 3, 1000 Berlin 33, Germany. Dr Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag. 110-118.

Abstract: Psychosomatic and functional body complaints in the elderly became more significant in psychosomatic research and therapy during recent years. On the other hand, there is a lack of epidemiological studies on this topic. The present paper presents results of a study with a community sample of 764 elderly older than 60 years. Body complaints were self-rated by the Giessener Beschwerdebogen (The Giessen Subjective Complaints List) GBB (Brahler and Scheer, 1995). This study presents age-specific and sex-specific norms for the GBB. Compared to representative samples of younger people (< 30 years of age, 30-60 years of age) we found a significantly higher amount of body complaints in the elderly (exhaustion, stomach trouble, rheumatic pains, heart trouble, and the sum score of body complaints). Within the age group over 60 years, there is an increasing amount of body complaints with higher age. The amount of body complaints is higher for women than for men. Besides analyzing age-specific and sex-specific body complaints, the correlation with personality characteristics and with life satisfaction and the influence of health-related beliefs were analyzed. There were greater body complaints in elderly with depressive mood and with low internal control beliefs regarding health. The elderly that consider the psychological influence on health significant experience a greater amount of body complaints than the other.

Note: Article T Gunzelmann, Univ Leipzig Klinikum, ABT Med Psychol & Med Soziol, Liebigstr 21, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany

Keyword(s): Giessener Beschwerdebogen (The Giessen Subjective Complaints List); body complaints in the elderly; psychosomatics

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