Abstract:
The aetiologies of both chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and its predecessor neurasthenia, have been linked to technological advances in ‘developed’ countries. This paper discusses how this has led to a form of race thinking within discussions about fatigue which has persisted for more than a century. We review the historical development of this race thinking from neurasthenia to CFS and describe how it is manifested in both the lay- and medical literature. We also review the epidemiological literature on CFS and ethnicity to better understand the relatively low percentage of non-white patients seen in tertiary referral clinics for CFS. The aim of this paper is to act as a starting point for a debate on race and CFS.
Source: Luthra A, Wessely S. Unloading the trunk: neurasthenia, CFS and race. Soc Sci Med. 2004 Jun;58(11):2363-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15047091