Gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in Germany: a repeated cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Previous research indicates that women report more psychosomatic complaints at work compared to men. However, there is a lack of research examining this gender gap across different occupational subgroups and over time. Methods The study utilized data from the nationwide German Em...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Julia Grasshoff, Batoul Safieddine, Stefanie Sperlich, Johannes Beller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21462-8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832571217846992896
author Julia Grasshoff
Batoul Safieddine
Stefanie Sperlich
Johannes Beller
author_facet Julia Grasshoff
Batoul Safieddine
Stefanie Sperlich
Johannes Beller
author_sort Julia Grasshoff
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Previous research indicates that women report more psychosomatic complaints at work compared to men. However, there is a lack of research examining this gender gap across different occupational subgroups and over time. Methods The study utilized data from the nationwide German Employment Survey of the Working Population on Qualification and Working Conditions conducted in 2005/2006, 2011/2012, and 2017/ 2018. First, gender differences in psychosomatic complaints were analysed within the occupational subgroups categorized as white-collar high-skilled, white-collar low-skilled, blue-collar high-skilled and blue-collar low-skilled workers. Second, gender stratified time trends of psychosomatic complaints were analysed. A total of 58,759 participants were included in the analysis. Results Women consistently reported significantly higher levels of psychosomatic complaints compared to men across all years examined. The largest differences were observed in white-collar high-skilled occupations. From 2005/2006 to 2011/2012, gender differences increased; from 2011/2012 to 2017/2018, they stagnated. Conclusions The study revealed that women experience more psychosomatic distress at work than men in all occupational subgroups and time points. White-collar high-skilled workers showed the highest gender gap in psychosomatic complaints. The gender gap widened from 2005/2006 to 2011/2012 and remained stable from 2011/2012 to 2017/2018. Future research should investigate the reasons and implications of this phenomenon, especially considering the increasing proportion of high-skilled white-collar workers, where the gender gap is most evident.
format Article
id doaj-art-1b40011eeafa4af69ec8f73da006a411
institution Kabale University
issn 1471-2458
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Public Health
spelling doaj-art-1b40011eeafa4af69ec8f73da006a4112025-02-02T12:46:14ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-02-0125111210.1186/s12889-025-21462-8Gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in Germany: a repeated cross-sectional studyJulia Grasshoff0Batoul Safieddine1Stefanie Sperlich2Johannes Beller3Department for Medical Sociology, Hannover Medical SchoolDepartment for Medical Sociology, Hannover Medical SchoolDepartment for Medical Sociology, Hannover Medical SchoolDepartment for Medical Sociology, Hannover Medical SchoolAbstract Background Previous research indicates that women report more psychosomatic complaints at work compared to men. However, there is a lack of research examining this gender gap across different occupational subgroups and over time. Methods The study utilized data from the nationwide German Employment Survey of the Working Population on Qualification and Working Conditions conducted in 2005/2006, 2011/2012, and 2017/ 2018. First, gender differences in psychosomatic complaints were analysed within the occupational subgroups categorized as white-collar high-skilled, white-collar low-skilled, blue-collar high-skilled and blue-collar low-skilled workers. Second, gender stratified time trends of psychosomatic complaints were analysed. A total of 58,759 participants were included in the analysis. Results Women consistently reported significantly higher levels of psychosomatic complaints compared to men across all years examined. The largest differences were observed in white-collar high-skilled occupations. From 2005/2006 to 2011/2012, gender differences increased; from 2011/2012 to 2017/2018, they stagnated. Conclusions The study revealed that women experience more psychosomatic distress at work than men in all occupational subgroups and time points. White-collar high-skilled workers showed the highest gender gap in psychosomatic complaints. The gender gap widened from 2005/2006 to 2011/2012 and remained stable from 2011/2012 to 2017/2018. Future research should investigate the reasons and implications of this phenomenon, especially considering the increasing proportion of high-skilled white-collar workers, where the gender gap is most evident.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21462-8Gender differencesMental healthOccupational healthPsychosomatic complaintsTrendsCollar
spellingShingle Julia Grasshoff
Batoul Safieddine
Stefanie Sperlich
Johannes Beller
Gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in Germany: a repeated cross-sectional study
BMC Public Health
Gender differences
Mental health
Occupational health
Psychosomatic complaints
Trends
Collar
title Gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in Germany: a repeated cross-sectional study
title_full Gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in Germany: a repeated cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in Germany: a repeated cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in Germany: a repeated cross-sectional study
title_short Gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in Germany: a repeated cross-sectional study
title_sort gender differences in psychosomatic complaints across occupations and time from 2006 to 2018 in germany a repeated cross sectional study
topic Gender differences
Mental health
Occupational health
Psychosomatic complaints
Trends
Collar
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21462-8
work_keys_str_mv AT juliagrasshoff genderdifferencesinpsychosomaticcomplaintsacrossoccupationsandtimefrom2006to2018ingermanyarepeatedcrosssectionalstudy
AT batoulsafieddine genderdifferencesinpsychosomaticcomplaintsacrossoccupationsandtimefrom2006to2018ingermanyarepeatedcrosssectionalstudy
AT stefaniesperlich genderdifferencesinpsychosomaticcomplaintsacrossoccupationsandtimefrom2006to2018ingermanyarepeatedcrosssectionalstudy
AT johannesbeller genderdifferencesinpsychosomaticcomplaintsacrossoccupationsandtimefrom2006to2018ingermanyarepeatedcrosssectionalstudy