Influence of season of birth and age on the complaints in female patients with psychosomatic diseases

Abstract

This retrospective study aimed at evaluating whether or not environmental factors such as season of birth and age are important in female patients with psychosomatic complaints. Demographic data were collected from 135 female outpatients with psychosomatic diseases. They were examined using psychological tests (Cornell Medical Index and Zung Depression Scale) and questionnaires for premenstrual syndrome. Among the younger women (<30 years old), irritability during menstruation was significantly less frequent in the autumn group. Among the thirties, irascibility was significantly more frequent in the autumn group. Among the elder women (>40 years old), insomnia was less frequent in the autumn group, but only in a trend. Zung Depression Scale points were not correlated with neither age nor season of birth. Furthermore, in the thirties, they had significantly more premenstrual complaints compared with the other groups. In conclusion, we suggest that season of birth and age may have an effect on the irritability during menstruation, insomnia and premenstrual complaints.