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Table 1 Frequency of specific phobia and its subtypes and physical diseases in the GHS-MHS (12 months) and the PsyCoLaus Study (12 months for specific phobia and lifetime for physical diseases)

From: Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: an adult community study

Phobia/disease

GHS-MHS

PsyCoLaus

No.

%

No.

%

Any specific phobiaa

388

7.6

518

13.9

Subtypesb

    

 Animal subtype

68

1.5

112

3.0

 Natural subtype

75

1.4

37

1.0

 Blood-injection subtype

64

1.5

18

0.5

 Situational subtype

89

1.8

48

1.3

 Other subtype

3

0.08

10

0.3

Hypertension

581

13.1

1110

29.8

Cardiac diseases (heart circulation disturbances, narrowing of the coronary vessels, angina pectoris, cardiac infarct, heart weakness, heart insufficiency)c

100

2.2

199

5.3

Respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic bronchitis)

284

7.0

572

15.3

Gastrointestinal diseases (ulcer, gastritis)

268

6.3

252

6.7

Diabetes (with or without insulin treatment)

115

2.7

194

5.2

Arthritic conditions (wear and tear type, inflammatory diseases of the joints)d

1107

25.9

773

20.8

Allergies (hay fever, allergic eczema, allergic hives, neurodermatitis, food allergy, allergic conjunctivitis)

747

18.1

1018

27.3

Migraine headaches

491

10.3

562

15.2

Neurological diseases (epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis)

27

0.5

94

2.5

Thyroid diseases

445

10.0

164

4.4

Vascular diseases (stroke, brain circulation disturbance, leg circulation disturbance, artery occlusion, varicose veins, vein thrombosis)e

536

12.4

303

8.2

  1. Note. No: Unweighted number of subjects; %: Percentage (in the GHS-MHS: weighted percentage), GHS-MHS German Health Survey, Mental Health Supplement aIncluding animal, natural, blood-injection, situational, or any other subtype. bsubjects did not fulfill the criteria of any other subtype. cIn the PsyCoLaus Study: coronary artery disease, angina, myocardial infarct, percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass graft, pacing, heart failure, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy. dIn the PsyCoLaus Study: rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, arthritis. eIn the PsyCoLaus Study: arrhythmia, stroke, peripheral artery disease