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Health Complaints

- General Information
- Items used in BASE
  - Complaints
  - Complaint List
- Raw Constructs Created in BASE

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Health Complaints:
General Information

When? | Time 1 | Time 2 | Time 3 | Time 4 | Time 5 | Time 6 | Time 7
Where? | Intensive Protocol (IP) | - | - | - | - | - | -
Questionnaire | IP: 1. Complaints - Treatment - Medication pp. 2-16 2. Self-rating scales a) Complaint List pp. 3-4 | - | - | - | - | - | -
SIR Data bank | IP: 1. Psycha rec/table 7 (q1besch1) rec/table 8 (q1besch2) 2. Psycha rec/table 15 (q1bl) | - | - | - | - | - | -

Subjective Health Complaints were assessed within the intensive protocol (IP) in two ways:

First, in the questionnaire "Beschwerden - Behandlung - Arzneimittel" ("Complaints - Treatment - Medication"), which was developed by the BASE psychiatry unit: After a few standardized opening questions according to their general state, participants were asked to list (1) subjective health complaints they had had during the past two weeks, (2) which physicians or other persons they had consulted for (medical) treatment during the past three months (see health behavior), and (3) which medication they had used during the past two weeks (see medication). For each complaint mentioned a number of standardized questions was asked. Formulated answers were coded. The procedure ended with two general questions.

Second, subjective health complaints were assessed within the questionnaire "Skalen zur Selbstbeurteilung" ("Self-rating scales") by using the Complaint List (von Zerssen, 1976; see Literature), a self-rating scale which asks about the presence of 24 unspecific symptomatic symptoms. Participants were asked to rate how much they suffer from each complaint on a 4-point Likert scale (0 = not at all, 3 = strongly).
For each complaint mentioned by a participant in the Complaint List, psychiatrists judged with internists in the consensus conference how likely an internistic explanation for the symptom was (1 = internistic explanation not very probable; 2 = possible, 3 = certain).

Literature: Helmchen, Baltes, Geiselmann, Kanowski, Linden, Reischies, Wagner, & Wilms, 1996; Helmchen, Baltes, Geiselmann, Kanowski, Linden, Reischies, Wagner, Wernicke, & Wilms, 1999.

- General Information
- Items used in BASE
  - Complaints
  - Complaint List
- Raw Constructs Created in BASE

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Health Complaints:
Items used in BASE

Complaints

(raw data)

| BASE items / variables | English translation | Variable names Time 1
1. | Wie ging es Ihnen in den letzten 14 Tagen gesundheitlich? (seelisch und körperlich) | How has your health been over the last two weeks? (mentally and physically) | q1b001
2. | Ging es Ihnen in den letzten 14 Tagen immer gleich oder gab es von Tag zu Tag größere Unterschiede? 1 = gleich 2 = Unterschiede | Did you notice any differences in your health over the last two weeks, or did you feel the same every day? 1 = same 2 = differences | q1b002
3. | Wie geht es Ihnen gerade heute im Vergleich zu den letzten 14 Tagen? 1 = besser 2 = wie sonst 3 = schlechter | How do you feel today compared to the last two weeks? 1 = better 2 = same as usual 3 = worse | q1b003
Items / variables concerning the single complaints (see: Complaint List) |
4. | Wie sehr leiden Sie zur Zeit unter allen genannten Beschwerden zusammen genommen? | How much do you suffer from the complaints you mentioned at the moment? | q1b052
5. | Unter welcher Beschwerde leiden Sie am meisten? | Which complaint troubles you most? |
1. Stelle | 1st nomination | q1b053
2. Stelle | 2nd nomination | q1b054

Questions concerning each complaint mentioned by participant

| BASE items / variables | English translation | Variable names Time 1
1. | Beschwerdenummer | Number of complaints | q1bnr
2. | Beschwerde | Complaints | q1b0045
3. | Wie lange kennen Sie die Beschwerde schon? (Monate) | How long have you had this complaint? (months) | q1b005
4. | Wie oft hatten Sie mit der Beschwerde in den letzten 14 Tagen zu tun? 1 = nur 1x 2 = öfter, aber nicht täglich 3 = täglich | How often did the complaint bother you during the last two weeks? 1 = once only 2 = several times, but not daily 3 = daily | q1b006
5. | Ist die Beschwerde Ihrer Meinung nach hauptsächlich altersbedingt? 1 = ja 2 = nein | Would you say that this complaint is mainly age-related? 1 = yes 2 = no | q1b007
6. | Welche Ursache hat die Beschwerde (außerdem), woher kommt sie? | What caused the complaint, where does it come from? |
Krankheit | disease | q1b0085
andere Ursache | other reasons | q1b0096

- General Information
- Items used in BASE
  - Complaints
  - Complaint List
- Raw Constructs Created in BASE

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Health Complaints:
Items used in BASE

Complaint List

(raw data and post-consensus-conference data)

| BASE items / variables | English translation | Variable names Time 1 (raw data) | Variable name Time 1 (Post consensus conference*)
1. | Kloßgefühl, Engegefühl, Würgen im Hals | Wretching, choking | q1bl01 | q1kbl01
2. | Kurzatmigkeit | Dyspnea / Shortness of breath | q1bl02 | q1kbl02
3. | Schwächegefühl | Sensation of weakness | q1bl03 | q1kbl03
4. | Schluckbeschwerden | Difficulty swallowing | q1bl04 | q1kbl04
5. | Stiche, Schmerzen oder Ziehen in der Brust | Chest complaints | q1bl05 | q1kbl05
6. | Druck oder Völlegefühl im Leib | Stomachache or Sensation of fullness | q1bl06 | q1kbl06
7. | Mattigkeit | Fatigue | q1bl07 | q1kbl07
8. | Übelkeit | Nausea | q1bl08 | q1kbl08
9. | Sodbrennen oder saures Aufstoßen | Acidic belching | q1bl09 | q1kbl09
10. | Reizbarkeit | Irritability | q1bl10 | q1kbl10
11. | Grübelei | Brooding | q1bl11 | q1kbl11
12. | Starkes Schwitzen | Heavy sweating | q1bl12 | q1kbl12
13. | Kreuz- oder Rückenschmerzen | Back ache | q1bl13 | q1kbl13
14. | Innere Unruhe | Restlessness | q1bl14 | q1kbl14
15. | Schweregefühl oder Müdigkeit in den Beinen | Heaviness or tiredness of the legs | q1bl15 | q1kbl15
16. | Unruhe in den Beinen | Restless legs | q1bl16 | q1kbl16
17. | Überempfindlichkeit gegen Wärme | Hyperthermalgesia | q1bl17 | q1kbl17
18. | Überempfindlichkeit gegen Kälte | Hypercryaesthesia | q1bl18 | q1kbl18
19. | Übermäßiges Schlafbedürfnis | Sleepiness | q1bl19 | q1kbl19
20. | Schlaflosigkeit | Insomnia | q1bl20 | q1kbl20
21. | Schwindelgefühl | Sensation of dizziness | q1bl21 | q1kbl21
22. | Zittern | Tremor | q1bl22 | q1kbl22
23. | Nacken- oder Schulterschmerzen | Neck and shoulder pain | q1bl23 | q1kbl23
24. | Gewichtsabnahme | Loss of weight | q1bl24 | q1kbl24

- General Information
- Items used in BASE
  - Complaints
  - Complaint List
- Raw Constructs Created in BASE

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Health Complaints:
Raw Constructs Created in BASE

Constructs | Constructs Time 1
Complaint list score
1. raw data level | q1blsum
Sum score (items q1bl01 - q1bl24)
2. post consensus conference | q1kblsum
Sum score (items q1kbl01 - q1kbl24)
3. estimation | q1blest
Sum score (items q1bl01 - q1bl09) if less than 6 missings: (q1blsum/(24 - number of missings)) * 24

- General Information
- Items used in BASE
  - Complaints
  - Complaint List
- Raw Constructs Created in BASE

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