Factors Influencing the Diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Solomon, Laura J.; Reeves, William C.

doi:10.1001/archinte.164.20.2241

Cited by 65 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…These problems may in large part explain why only 50% of individuals with CFS have consulted a physician for their illness and fewer than 20% of people with CFS have been diagnosed and treated for the illness [8,9]. Educating providers concerning CFS should improve identification, diagnosis, and management of CFS, but educational activities must be based on providers' current knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs in order to target major current weaknesses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

U.S. healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions concerning Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

et al. 2010

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BackgroundChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating illness with particular difficulties for healthcare providers because there are no diagnostic signs or laboratory tests and because management aims to merely improve symptoms. Further complicating management, healthcare providers' awareness concerning CFS has not been rigorously assessed. The present study aimed to ascertain United States (U.S.) healthcare providers' awareness of CFS and to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs (KAB) related to diagnosis and management of the illness. This information forms the foundation for developing CFS educational strategies.MethodsWe combined convenience and probability samples to measure CFS KAB among healthcare providers. In the convenience sample, 1,255 healthcare providers (81% response rate) from 13 professional conferences completed a 12-item form. Descriptive statistics were reported for 9 KAB item responses and chi-square tests were performed for examining their association with giving a diagnosis of CFS. We used principal component analysis to construct multidimensional subscales and perform a general linear model to examine factors associated with subscales. The probability sample involved data on 15 CFS-specific questions from 2006 and 2007 DocStyles web-based panel surveys collected from 2,750 physicians (average response rate 55%). We calculated descriptive and chi-square statistics. The significance was set at two-tailed with the alpha level of 0.05.ResultsHealthcare providers in both samples were aware of CFS and exhibited a high level of knowledge. Overall, 96% of respondents in the DocStyles (probability) sample had heard about CFS. Healthcare providers in the conference (convenience) sample demonstrated good KAB scores; physicians' scores were highest on KAB scales and lowest in perception. Nurses' scores were lowest in knowledge. More than 40% of physicians reported ever giving a CFS diagnosis and in the DocStyles (probability) sample more than 80% of physicians correctly identified CFS symptoms. Physicians reported professional journals, the Internet, and continuing education programs as the top 3 sources from which they obtain CFS information.ConclusionsFindings from these combined samples fill a gap in the evidence-base of U.S. healthcare providers' and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs concerning CFS. Importantly, respondents in both samples expressed similar knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and perceptions. Awareness was high and negative attitudes were low. The primary areas for future education should address diagnosis and management of CFS and should be delivered through those venues providers indicated they primarily use. Data from this study provide a benchmark for evaluation the success of these future efforts.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

U.S. healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions concerning Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

et al. 2010

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“…Finally, we are aware of no published studies of CFS that have utilized multiple-night polysomnography, nor are we aware of any published studies that address sleep pathology in a population-based sample of persons with CFS. Because an overwhelming majority of persons with CFS remain undiagnosed [4,18], results of studies on CFS patients identified through physician practices may not be generalizable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sleep characteristics of persons with chronic fatigue syndrome and non-fatigued controls: results from a population-based study

et al. 2006

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Background: The etiology and pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) remain inchoate. Attempts to elucidate the pathophysiology must consider sleep physiology, as unrefreshing sleep is the most commonly reported of the 8 case-defining symptoms of CFS. Although published studies have consistently reported inefficient sleep and documented a variable occurrence of previously undiagnosed primary sleep disorders, they have not identified characteristic disturbances in sleep architecture or a distinctive pattern of polysomnographic abnormalities associated with CFS.

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“…Although not all persons suffering from CFS seek allopathic care [6,7], standard regimens of therapy include cognitive behavioral therapy, varying forms and regimens of exercise, and enhancement of coping skills, while caregiver prescribed or self-administered medication use remains common [8,9]. Recent increase in use of complementary and alternative medicine therapy (CAM) in various forms by the population at large [10-13] as provided by naturopaths, chiropractors, social workers, nutritionists, and acupuncturists, and others, has also been observed among patients with CFS [14-16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complementary and alternative medical therapy utilization by people with chronic fatiguing illnesses in the United States

Jones

Maloney

Boneva

et al. 2007

BMC Complement Altern Med

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Background: Chronic fatiguing illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Previous clinical reports addressed the utilization of health care provided to patients with CFS by a variety of practitioners with other than allopathic training, but did not examine the spectrum of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies used. This study was designed to measure CAM therapy use by persons with fatiguing illnesses in the United States population.

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Factors Influencing the Diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract: Most cases of CFS in the population are unrecognized by the medical community; persons diagnosed as having CFS may be different from persons with CFS in the general population.

Cited by 65 publications

References 15 publications

U.S. healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions concerning Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

U.S. healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions concerning Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Sleep characteristics of persons with chronic fatigue syndrome and non-fatigued controls: results from a population-based study

Complementary and alternative medical therapy utilization by people with chronic fatiguing illnesses in the United States

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