title: The financial and psychological impacts on mothers of children with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) is relatively common and children can be severely affected attending little or no school for extended periods. There are no studies quantifying the financial impact of having a child with CFS/ME and there is little information of the impact on parental mood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty mothers of children with CFS/ME from a regional specialist CFS/ME service completed inventories to assess their psychological well-being (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, General Health Questionnaire-12) loss of earnings and increased expenditure. In addition, eight mothers took part in a semi-structured qualitative interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most parents of children with CFS/ME experience loss of monthly income (mean = £247) and increase in monthly expenditure (mean = £206). Twenty-eight (72%) mothers were above the cut-off for the General Health Questionnaire-12 compared with 20% in the healthy population (95% CI 55, 85, P < 0.001) suggesting they probably have a mental health problem. This may be explained by the qualitative interviews where mothers described five areas contributing to poor parental health: lack of understanding from others; marital tension; concern about their child's distress; concern about the impact on siblings and emotional distress causing physical symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of families of children with CFS/ME experience decreased income and increased expenditure with a marked impact on maternal psychological health. Clinicians need to be aware of this to provide appropriate support to families who care for children with CFS/ME.
authors: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Missen
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Hollingworth
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Eaton
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Crawley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004739:England; D005192:Family Health; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult