title: Comparing symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome in a community-based versus tertiary care sample.
abstract: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating condition characterized by six or more months of prolonged or relapsing, unexplained fatigue of new or definite onset and at least four of eight associated somatic and cognitive symptoms. Almost all studies of samples with patients with CFS have relied on referrals from physicians or health facilities. Underserved minorities, who not only tend to manifest higher levels of chronic illness, but are also less likely to seek and receive adequate medical care, have not been adequately represented in these studies. The present study compared two groups of individuals with CFS, one from a community-based sample and another from a tertiary-based sample. Findings indicate that patients with CFS from tertiary care settings have a higher frequency of symptoms than those in the general population who have CFS.
authors.affiliation: Center for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA. ljason@depaul.edu
authors.forename: Leonard A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Jason
authors.forename: Audrius V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Plioplys
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torres-Harding
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Corradi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires