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Anxiety and insomnia as modifiable risk factors for somatic symptoms in Chinese: a general population-based study

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Abstract

Objective

This study aims at investigating the stressors that increased the risk of somatic symptoms in the general Chinese population.

Methods

Chinese participants (n = 202) were recruited in a population-based household survey. Somatic symptoms were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-15, while potential stressors that increased the risk of somatic symptoms were measured by the Perceived Stress Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Insomnia Severity Index and ENRICHD Social Support Instrument.

Results

Structured multiphase regression modeling showed that female gender (estimated coefficient = 1.47, 95 % CI .7–2.24, p < .001), history of childhood adversities (estimated coefficient = .41, 95 % CI .06–.76, p = .023), employed (estimated coefficient = .87, 95 % CI .003–1.74, p = .049), a high level of anxiety (estimated coefficient = .26, 95 % CI .17–.36, p < .001) and severe insomnia (estimated coefficient = .11, 95 % CI .04–.18, p = .003) are significant stressors for increasing the risks of somatic symptoms in the Chinese population.

Conclusion

Physical and psychological symptoms are intertwined. It was recommended that reducing anxiety and improving sleep quality would be helpful to reduce somatic symptoms. These findings help in early identification and treatment of Chinese adults with persisting somatization.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledged the contribution of the team of research assistants and other personnel for the devoted work in collecting data in the household survey.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 4/F William MW Mong Building, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR

    Janet Yuen-Ha Wong & Daniel Yee-Tak Fong

  2. Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR

    Kelvin Ki-Wan Chan

Authors
  1. Janet Yuen-Ha Wong
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  2. Daniel Yee-Tak Fong
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  3. Kelvin Ki-Wan Chan
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Correspondence to Janet Yuen-Ha Wong.

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Wong, J.YH., Fong, D.YT. & Chan, K.KW. Anxiety and insomnia as modifiable risk factors for somatic symptoms in Chinese: a general population-based study. Qual Life Res 24, 2493–2498 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-015-0984-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-015-0984-9

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