Results of the validated German Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) from a large German cohort of healthy adults and different disease groups compared to historical reference values

Abstract Background Reference values of the validated German Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) were published in 2005 for healthy adults and individuals with different clinical conditions. We compared historical values with PSQ from the large German cohort participating in “Risk Factors for COVID-19 Vaccine Failure study (RisCoin). Methods In late 2021, we enrolled 4115 adults: hospital employees or patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or psychiatric disorders with ≥ 2 COVID-19 vaccinations. Participants completed extensive questionnaires including PSQ. Healthcare workers (HCW) were categorized as HCW-healthy or HCW-plus (any chronic medical condition). PSQ total and domain scores (worries, tension, joy, demands) were compared to reference values. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with cohort-specific high scores (mean + 1SD). Results HCW-healthy (N = 1998, mean age ± SD: 38 ± 12 years) reached higher mean total PSQ scores than historical healthy individuals (36 ± 18 vs. 33 ± 17, respectively, p<0.001), but lower scores (40 ± 19, p < 0.001) than HCW-plus (N = 1717, 43 ± 13 years). Female HCW-healthy perceived higher stress than males, especially at younger age. Participants with IBD (N = 161, 45 ± 15 years) exhibited lower scores than historical IBD patients (38 ± 19 vs. 43 ± 17, p < 0.001); psychiatric patients (N = 100, 41 ± 15 years) showed the highest scores (60 ± 19). Among HCW, female gender, frequent consumption of ready-to-eat meals/foods, and living with children were associated with higher, whereas regular physical activity and healthy dietary habits with lower PSQ scores. Conclusion Assuming representativeness of our cohort, these PSQ data could serve as updated benchmark for future research.