Tag: survey

Professional and popular views of chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To study the coverage of the chronic fatigue syndrome in the popular and professional press.

DESIGN: Search of all original research papers on the chronic fatigue syndrome published in British journals from 1980 onwards and of professional trade papers, national newspapers, and women’s magazines. Interviews with six medical journalists.

SETTING: British scientific, medical, and popular press.

RESULTS: 37 (49%) articles in research journals did not favour organic causes and 23 (31%) favoured organic causes. By contrast 31 (55%) articles in the medical trade press and 118 (69%) in national newspapers and women’s magazines favoured organic causes.

CONCLUSIONS: Press coverage of chronic fatigue syndrome has amplified and distorted divisions in the research community concerning the chronic fatigue syndrome. Articles in the press concentrate on a simple medical model of illness reinforcing the stigma of psychological illness and dissatisfaction with traditional medical authority.

Comment in:

Chronic fatigue syndrome: prevalence and outcome. [BMJ. 1994]

Patients with a self diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis. [BMJ. 1995]

 

Source: MacLean G, Wessely S. Professional and popular views of chronic fatigue syndrome. BMJ. 1994 Mar 19;308(6931):776-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2539637/

You can read the full article here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2539637/pdf/bmj00432-0054.pdf

 

Estimating the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome and associated symptoms in the community

Abstract:

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a poorly understood disease characterized by debilitating fatigue and neuromuscular and neuropsychological symptoms. Despite numerous studies on the subject, the epidemiology of the syndrome in the community remains largely unexplored.

An estimate of the prevalence in the population is presented, approximating the Centers for Disease Control criteria as well as the prevalence estimates of the fatigue symptom complex that include fatigue, disability, and neuromuscular and neuropsychological symptoms. The study population consisted of a very large, multicenter, stratified, and random sample of a general population health survey known as the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program.

Data used for this study were gathered between 1981 and 1984. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule, a highly structured mental health interview, was used to assess the lifetime prevalence of medical and psychological symptoms. Chronic fatigue was common.

A total of 23 percent of the subjects reported having experienced the symptom of persistent fatigue sometime during their lives. Chronic fatigue syndrome, however, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control, appeared to be quite rare in the general population. Only 1 of 13,538 people examined was found to meet a diagnosis of the syndrome with an approximation of the CDC criteria. Fatigue symptom complex was frequently related to medical or psychiatric illness or substance abuse; thus, persons meeting partial criteria of chronic fatigue syndrome were also found to be rare when psychiatric or medical exclusions were applied.

 

Comment in: Taking exception to chronic fatigue syndrome prevalence findings by Price, et al. [Public Health Rep. 1993]

 

Source: Price RK, North CS, Wessely S, Fraser VJ. Estimating the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome and associated symptoms in the community. Public Health Rep. 1992 Sep-Oct;107(5):514-22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1403692/ (Full article)

 

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Comment on: General practitioners’ experience of the chronic fatigue syndrome. [Br J Gen Pract. 1991]

 

Sir, Ho-Yen and McNamara give an interesting account of general practitioners’ experience of the chronic fatigue syndrome (August Journal, p.324). However, many of the conclusions which they draw are not supported by their study.

The problem lies in the method by which cases were identified. It seems unlikely that the doctors who responded to the questionnaire would have screened every patient on their practice lists for the condition. Even to screen only those patients who attended the surgery would have been a massive undertaking. There is no evidence that the practices involved kept a case register for this illness. I presume therefore that the cases reported were identified from memory by the doctors who responded to the survey. Thus, for patients who meet the criteria for this illness to be identified as a ‘case’ they must: decide that they are ill, decide to visit the doctor, be correctly identified as a case by the general practitioner and leave such an impression on the doctor’s mind as to be easily recalled later. It is very unlikely that, having passed through such a selection procedure, the cases identified would represent either the true number or display the typical characteristics of patients with this condition in the general population.

You can read the rest of this comment here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1371804/pdf/brjgenprac00062-0042b.pdf

 

Source: Plummer WP. Chronic fatigue syndrome. Br J Gen Pract. 1991 Nov;41(352):480. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1371804/

 

General practitioners’ experience of the chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

In order to examine the prevalence of patients with symptoms fulfilling the criteria for the chronic fatigue syndrome an extensive survey was carried out of general practitioners on 10 local government lists in two health boards (91% response rate). At the same time practitioners’ attitudes to the syndrome and their experience in terms of workload and the characteristics of patients affected were documented.

The majority of general practitioners (71%) accepted the existence of chronic fatigue syndrome, but 22% were undecided. The doctors reported a prevalence among their patients of 1.3 per 1000 patients (range 0.3-2.7 for the 10 areas) with a peak in the 30-44 years age group. Female patients were more commonly affected than males (sex ratio 1.8:1.0), but the severity of illness and the use of general practitioner’s time was the same among male and female patients. Patients in occupations where they were exposed to infection were affected (teachers and students, 22% of sample; hospital workers, 7%), but many patients were unskilled (8%) and skilled workers (9%).

Patients suffering from the chronic fatigue syndrome appear to be a real and distinct group for general practitioners and may represent a substantial part of the workload of doctors in particular areas.

Comment in:

Chronic fatigue syndrome. [Br J Gen Pract. 1991]

Chronic fatigue syndrome. [Br J Gen Pract. 1991]

 

Source: Ho-Yen DO, McNamara I. General practitioners’ experience of the chronic fatigue syndrome. Br J Gen Pract. 1991 Aug;41(349):324-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1777276

Note: You can read the full article here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1371754/