Worrying about one's job, family, financial situation and health - results of a population-representative study

OBJECTIVE Worrying about one's job, family, financial situation and health is distressing. How intense are these worries in the general population? METHODS An inquiry representative of the German population (N=2473, age>14 years) was performed. The total score of the "Questionnaire for Assessing Subjective Physical Well-Being" (FEW) and the screening scale of the "Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress" (TICS) were correlated with the four above mentioned items addressing worries (range 1-4). RESULTS Worries about one's financial situation were scored highest (mean=2.04, SD=0.92), followed by worries about one's health (mean=1.94; SD=0.87), one's family (mean=1.85; SD=0.86) and worries about one's job (mean=1.69; SD=0.92). Health worries increased with age. Those without a job and single parents showed the highest grades of solicitude. Increasing income decreased worrying. The correlations with chronic stress were moderate (.24<r<.33). The most significant correlation could be found between worries about one's health and the total score of the FEW (r=-.52). CONCLUSIONS The general population's concerns are relatively low. Using normative data, people can be screened for psychosocial distress and possibly referred to a relevant form of psychosocial support.