Abstract
Despite considerable research on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and conditions associated
with unexplained chronic fatigue (CF), little is known about their prevalence and
demographic distribution in the population. The present study describes the epidemiology
and characteristics of self-reported CF and related conditions in a diverse urban
community. The study used a cross-sectional telephone screening survey of households
in San Francisco, followed by interviews with fatigued and nonfatigued residents.
Respondents who appeared to meet case definition criteria for CFS, based on self-reported
fatigue characteristics, symptoms, and medical history, were classified as CFS-like
cases. Subjects who reported idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF) that did not meet CFS
criteria were classified as ICF-like cases. Screening interviews were completed for
8,004 households, providing fatigue and demographic information for 16,970 residents.
Unexplained CF was extremely rare among household residents <18 years of age, but
was reported by 2% of adult respondents. A total of 33 adults (0.2% of the study population)
were classified as CFS-like cases and 259 (1.8%) as ICF-like cases. Neither condition
clustered within households. CFS- and ICF-like illnesses were most prevalent among
women and persons with annual household incomes below $40,000, and least prevalent
among Asians. The prevalence of CFS-like illness was elevated among African Americans,
Native Americans, and persons engaged in clerical occupations. Although CFS-like cases
were more severely ill than those with ICF-like illness, a similar symptom pattern
was observed in both groups. In conclusion, conditions associated with unexplained
CF occur in all sociodemographic groups but appear to be most prevalent among women,
persons with lower income, and some racial minorities.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 16, 2004
Footnotes
☆This work was supported in part by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, through a grant to the CFIDS Foundation of San Francisco
Identification
Copyright
© 1998 Excerpta Medica Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
