Age, sex and mental distress as predictors of rate and deterioration of [PPS] over three and six years in a general population 2025 Nordin et al

[Andy]

Full title: Age, sex and mental distress as predictors of rate and deterioration of persistent physical symptoms over three and six years in a general population

Highlights​

• Female sex predicts prevalence of long-term persistent physical symptoms (PPS).
• High age predicts long-term deterioration of PPS.
• Mental distress predicts long-term prevalence and deterioration of PPS.

Abstract​

Background​

Better understanding for persistent physical symptoms (PPS) may improve prevention of symptoms from becoming persistent and deteriorating over time. This study tested the hypotheses of age and level of mental distress symptoms of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance and burnout statistically predicting rate of PPS and deterioration of PPS over three and six years in a general adult population. We also addressed whether sex is associated with these two aspects of PPS.

Method​

A population-based sample (n = 1837) aged 18–79 years from Västerbotten in Sweden was used. Longitudinal data were collected based on the 15-item Patient Health Questionnaire for PPS assessment as well as other validated questionnaire instruments at baseline and 3- and 6-year follow-up. Deterioration was assessed with the reliable change index paradigm. Chi-square tests and analyses of covariance were applied.

Results​

Old age was found to statistically predict deterioration, but not long-term rate, of PPS over three and six years, and female sex to predict rate, but not deterioration. Symptom levels of all four types of mental distress predicted both PPS rate (η2 = 0.097–0.202) and deterioration (η2 = 0.007–0.023) over both three and six years. When controlling for the other three types of mental distress, sleep disturbance, and in particular burnout, explained most unique variance in predicting rate and deterioration.

Conclusions​

The findings encourage healthcare professionals to assess PPS at an early stage, especially in persons at old age, in women and in patients with mental distress.

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[Utsikt]

Symptom levels of all four types of mental distress predicted both PPS rate (η2 = 0.097–0.202) and deterioration (η2 = 0.007–0.023) over both three and six years.

Assuming we can take the abstract at face value: Aren’t those figures quite small for deterioration?

The resources I find online indicates that an eta squared of 0.06 corresponds to a medium effect size.

So there is barely any effect on deterioration, and the PPS rates is circular because mental distress is already defined as PPS.

I don’t know how they defined high age, but that also seems quite circular because older people start experiencing more symptoms due to age. It doesn’t have to have anything to do with PPS.

So this seems like an entirely useless exercise, except that they’ve demonstrated how useless the concept of PPS is.

 

[rvallee]

When medieval alchemists look positively scientific, rational and serious by comparison...

This has already been done hundreds of times. This discipline is basically what if someone made an entire discipline out of the equivalent of a school project, always doing basic small project stuff, never doing anything more complicated that a new graduate could do as a side project as part of a job.

So there is barely any effect on deterioration, and the PPS rates is circular because mental distress is already defined as PPS.

When controlling for the other three types of mental distress, sleep disturbance, and in particular burnout, explained most unique variance in predicting rate and deterioration

They even define mental distress circularly since burnout itself is considered to be caused by mental distress, or whatever. We could already, today and with no limitations, hand over mental health care to LLMs and they would massively outperform the medical profession by a wide margin. Not because it's any good at it, it would just be less terrible.

It's literally turtles all the way down.

 

[rvallee]

So this seems like an entirely useless exercise, except that they’ve demonstrated how useless the concept of PPS is.

Hey that's also their preferred treatment.

However given this discipline, PPS being useless as a concept is the point. It means it has zero chance of ending the infinite loop of failure, it makes sure that science is no threat to their belief system, by simply excluding any trace of it.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Cause or effect? Maybe they were experiencing mental distress because their symptoms were worsening.