general health

Adverse childhood experiences, health perception, and the role of shared familial factors in adult twins

To examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and health perception in adulthood, and to explore the contribution of shared familial factors to these associations. Data were collected from 180 female twins (90 pairs) from the community-based University of Washington Twin Registry. Participants completed questionnaires including the modified ACE Questionnaire, Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire, […]

Can familial factors account for the association of body mass index with poor mental health in men or women?

Objective: This study examined if associations between body mass index (BMI) and mental and physical health were independent of genetic and familial factors. Method: Data from 2831 twins (66% female) were used in an epidemiological co-twin control design with measures of BMI and mental and physical health outcomes. Generalized estimating equation regressions assessed relationships between BMI and […]

Feeling bad in more ways than one: comorbidity patterns of medically unexplained and psychiatric conditions

Background: Considerable overlap in symptoms and disease comorbidity has been noted among medically unexplained and psychiatric conditions seen in the primary care setting, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, low back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic tension headache, fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint disorder, major depression, panic attacks, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Objective: To examine interrelationships among these 9 conditions. […]

Is the association between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and poor health due to a common familial or genetic factor?

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify genetic, familial and environmental contributions to the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and poor health. Methods: A community sample of 1852 twin pairs was assessed for symptoms of PTSD [with the Impact of Events Scale (IES)] and self-reported global health status using a single five-level question. […]