A scoring system for subjective health complaints (SHC)

The aim of this study is to present a complete scoring system for subjectiv e health complaints (SHC) as they are experienced by the lay population. Th e scoring system records the complaints, and does not map attributions or m edical diagnoses. In all, 1,219 subjects (323 men, 896 women) from Various occupations were tested with a scoring system, the SHC inventory, previousl y referred to as the Ursin Health Inventory (UHI). The SHC consists of 29 q uestions concerning severity and duration of subjective somatic and psychol ogical complaints. The SHC inventory yields scores on single items and a to tal number of health complaints categorized into five factors: musculoskele tal pain (alpha=0.74), pseudoneurology (alpha=0.73), gastrointestinal probl ems (alpha=0.62), allergy (alpha=0.58) and flu (alpha=0.67). The SHC invent ory is a systematic, easy, and reliable way to score subjective health comp laints. The prevalence of these complaints is high, and should be considere d before conclusions are reached about new diseases and new attributions of environmental hazards.