Subjectively experienced symptoms in relation to socio-economic factors in women.

As observed in a cross-sectional population study of 1,302 women, aged 44-66 years and representative of middle-aged women living in a Swedish city, symptoms and complaints were found to be unevenly distributed in the female population. Factors such as foreign origin, low education, different kinds of isolation such as not working outside of the home, being divorced or widowed seemed to be factors which increased the risk of experiencing different symptoms and complaints. When meeting a patient with a complaint it is important to take all possible causes into consideration including socio-economic factors.