Selected family characteristics are associated with adolescents' subjective health complaints.

Aim: This national study of schoolchildren in Greece investigated the association between adolescents' subjective health complaints (SHC) and a number of family characteristics.

Methods: Questionnaires were completed by a random, school-based sample of children from 12 to 18 years of age, and one of their parents (76.6% mothers), in 2003. Data from 1041 adolescent-parent pairs were analysed. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the associations between the adolescent's SHC and the following characteristics: parent's marital status, parent's physical and mental health status, parent's worries about their child's SHC, the parent-child relationship, family cohesion, family socio-economic status and the adolescent's sex and age.

Results: The analysis showed that the adolescents' SHC were independently and significantly correlated with poor parental subjective mental health status, poor quality parent-child relationships and parental worry. There were also associations between levels of SHC and female and older adolescents.

Conclusion: Certain family features can be seen as potential contributing factors to SHC in adolescence and should therefore constitute complementary targets for prevention and treatment planning.