Skip to main content

Table 2 Constructs and instruments in DEGS1

From: German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS) - design, objectives and implementation of the first data collection wave

Construct

Instrument/Method

Data collection mode

Information obtained for all study participants

Comparable information available from GNHIES98

Self-reported morbidity

Presence of any long-standing illness

MEHM [35]

SFQ

yes

no

Medical history including family history

Self-developed closed-ended questions

CAPI

yes

yes

(except for family history)

Lifetime history of selected childhood diseases and vaccinations

Self-developed closed-ended questions; taking copies of immunization records

CAPI

yes

yes

Information obtained from immunization records

Medication use

Current medication use (past 7 days)

On-site medication review and automated barcoding [8]

AmEDa

yes

yes

Objective health measures

Body weight and height

Portable electronic scales(SECA, Germany), stadiometer (Holtain, UK); accuracy of measurement: 0.1 kg and 0.1 cm

M/T

yes

yes

Waist and hip circumference

Flexible, non-stretchable measurement tape (Siber Hegner, Switzerland); accuracy of measurement: 0.5 cm

M/T

yes

yes

Blood pressure and heart rate

Automated blood pressure device (Datascope Accutor Plus, The Netherlands)

M/T

yes

yes

(instrument change)

Thyroid volume

Ultrasound (USD 200 Sirius, ROI Medical Systems, Germany)

M/T

yes

no

Biochemical measures

Complete blood counta, clinical chemistry, immunology and allergic sensitization immunoassaysb, spot urine dipstickc, special serum and urine analysesd

M/T

yes

yes

(change in methods for some measures)

Symptoms and complaints

Physical symptoms (past 7 days)

SCL-90-R, 12-item somatization scale [36]

SFQ

yes

no

Joint pain (past 12 months; past 24 hours)

Closed-ended questions adapted from RADAI [37]

SFQ

yes

no

Pain intensity and interference with activities of daily life (past 4 weeks)

SF-36 [38, 39]

SFQ

yes

yes (SF-36 version 1.0) [40]

Sleep duration and sleep disorders

Closed-ended questions adapted from PSQI [41]

SFQ

yes

no

Urinary incontinence

Self-developed single closed-ended question

SFQ

yes

no

Mental Health

Depressive symptoms

PHQ-9 [42, 43]

SFQ

yes

no

(past 2 weeks)

Chronic stress

12-item TICS screening-Scale [44, 45]

SFQ

participants 18–64 years

no

(past 3 months)

Vitality

Vitality subscale, SF-36 version 2.0 [38, 39]

SFQ

yes

yes (SF-36 version 1.0) [40]

Mental distress

MHI-5 [46]

SFQ

yes

yes (SF-36 version 1.0) [40]

Psychological distress attributed to critical life events

Closed-ended questions adapted from DEAS 2002 [47]

SFQ

yes

no

Assaults and aggressive behavior (past 12 months and life time history since age 16 years)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

participants 18–64 years

no

Subjective health

Self-rated health status

MEHM [35]

SFQ

yes

SF-36 version 1.0 [40]

SF-36 version 2.0 [38, 39]

Health-related quality of life

SF-36 version 2.0 [38, 39]

SFQ

yes

SF-36 version 1.0 [40]

Gender-specific health issues

Benign prostate disease

Self-developed closed-ended single question

SFQ

men of all age goups

no

Women’s health (reproductive history, hysterectomy, contraceptive use, postmenopausal hormone therapy)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

women of all age groups

no

Injuries

Injuries requiring medical treatment (past 12 months)

Self-developed closed-ended single question

SFQ

yes

yes

History of fractures (since age 50 years, selected locations, associated degree of trauma)

Closed-ended questions adapted from European Osteoporosis Study [48]

SFQ

participants 65 years and older

no

Falls

History of falls (past 12 months, past 4 weeks,); fear of falls

Closed-ended questions adapted from Prevention of Falls Network Europe consensus [49]

SFQ

participants 65 years and older

no

Functional capacities

Visual and hearing impairment

Closed-ended questions adapted from DEAS 2002 and ECHIM Project [47, 50]

SFQ

yes

no

Aerobic fitness

Submaximal endurance bicycle ergometer testing based on heart rate and lactic acid measurements [51, 52]

M/T

participants 18–64 years

no

Isometric hand grip strength

Smedley, S dynamometer

M/T

participants 65 years and older

no

(Stoelting Co.Illinois, USA) [53, 54]

Mobility

Timed “Up & Go” [55]

M/T

participants 65 years and older

no

Balance and lower extremity strength

Balance test sequence, five-chair rise [5658]

M/T

participants 65 years and older

no

Cognitive functioning

DSST [59, 60]

M/T

participants 65 years and older

no

Disability

Officially recognized disability

Self-developed closed-ended single question

SFQ

yes

yes

Long-standing illness interfering with activities of daily life

MEHM [35, 61]

SFQ

yes

no

Physical functional limitations interfering with activities in daily life

Physical functioning scale, SF-36 version 2.0 [38, 39]

SFQ

yes

SF-36 version 1.0 [40]

Health-related behavior

Dietary habits (past 4 weeks)

Self-developed, validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) [16]

SFQ

yes

FFQ (past 12 months; less food items; no portion sizes)

Smoking history, passive smoking, intention to quit, nicotine dependence

Self-developed closed-ended questions; FTND [62]

SFQ

yes (nicotine dependence restricted to participants 18–64 years)

yes

(except for FTND and intention to quit)

Alcohol consumption (frequency and amount)

Closed-ended self-developed questions; AUDIT-C, BASIC [63]

SFQ

yes

yes (except AUDIT, BASIC)

Physical activity and sports activities

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

yes

partly

Media use (hours per day on average)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

yes

no

Living and social conditions

Self-perceived social support

3-item Oslo scale [64]

SFQ

yes

no

Level and type of support with activities of daily life

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

participants 65 years and older

no

Caregiving (duration; caregiver burden)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

yes

no

Housing conditions (size and type of housing; indoor mold; noise and traffic exposure)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

yes

yes

Working conditions (hours of work per week; shift or night work)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

participants 18–64 years

yes

Socio-demographic context variables

Age, year of birth, marital status, household size, current family structure, residence in former GDR as of 1988

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

yes

yes

Immigration background

Closed-ended questions adapted from [65]

SFQ

yes

yes

Education, net household income, professional status and employment history, retirement

Closed-ended questions adapted from [17, 18]

SFQ

yes

yes

Health care services utilization

Type of health insurance

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

yes

yes

Nursing care enrollment or pending application

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

participants 65 years and older

no

Last time seen a doctor; number of doctor visits, emergency care visits, hospital nights, sick days, sickness leave days (past 12 months)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

yes

yes

Participation in cancer screening programs including specific programs (ever, last time participated)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

CAPI

yes

participation in general only (no information on utilization of specific programs)

Preventive health check-up program (past 2 years)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

participants 18–64 years

yes

Preventive (past 12 months) and rehabilitation services (past 3 years)

Self-developed closed-ended questions

SFQ

yes

yes

Disease-specific preventive services, procedures and diagnostic tests

Self-developed closed-ended questions

CAPI

yes

no

  1. aCell-DYN®EmeraldTM(Abbott, Germany).
  2. bArchitect® ci8200 (Abbott, Germany), IC1000 (ThermoFischer, prev. Phadia, Germany).
  3. cCombur 9 Test®(Roche) and Micral-Test®(Roche).
  4. dAntibody titer serum concentrations (hepatitis E, measles, mumps, rubella, herpes simplex type 1 and type 2, salmonella, borrelia); PCR-based diagnostic tests in serum (hepatitis B and C) and urine (chlamydia, gonorrhoea); urinary iodine (modified Sandell-Kolthoff method) [66] and salt excretion.
  5. Abbreviations: AmEDa automated medication assessment, CAPI computer-assisted personal interview, M/T measurements and tests, SFQ self-administered questionnaire, AUDIT-C/BASIC Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – alcohol consumption questions, Brief Alcohol Screening Instrument for Medical Care, DEAS German Aging Survey, DSST Digit Symbol Substitution Test, ECHIM European Community Health Indicator Monitoring, FTND Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, MEHM Minimum European Health Module, MHI-5 5-item Mental Health Inventory, PHQ-9 9-item depression module of the Patient Health Questionnaire, PSQI Pittsburgh sleep quality index, RADAI Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index, SCL-90-R Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, TICS Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress.