Journal article
A population-based investigation into the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in United States military Veterans with chronic pain
Fatigue (Abingdon, Eng.), Vol.11(2-4), pp.129-141-141
2023
DOI: 10.1080/21641846.2023.2239977
Abstract
Objective
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating illness characterized by persistent fatigue among other symptoms. Pain symptoms are common and included in the diagnostic criteria for CFS but are not required for diagnosis. Despite the association between CFS and pain, few studies have examined CFS in the context of chronic pain (CP) conditions. The current study estimates the period prevalence of comorbid CFS among military Veterans with CP and compares sociodemographic characteristics and CP conditions of Veterans with CP + CFS to those with CP without CFS.
Methods
This study included Veterans Health Administration (VHA) data on 2,261,030 patients with chronic pain in 2018. Sociodemographic characteristics included age, sex, race, ethnicity, and rurality. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample and between-group comparisons included independent samples t-tests and chi-square tests of independence. Effect sizes were also examined.
Results
A total of 15,248 (0.67%) of Veterans with CP also had a diagnosis of CFS. Veterans diagnosed with CP + CFS were younger and were more likely to be female, White, non-Hispanic, and rural-dwelling. However, small and weak effect sizes were observed for these differences. The majority of Veterans with CP + CFS had limb/extremity (69.20%) back pain (53.44%), or abdominal/bowel pain (24.11%).
Conclusion
As CDC treatment recommendations for CFS include treating pain first, studying CFS in the context of CP is critically important. Veterans diagnosed with CP + CFS appear demographically similar, compared to Veterans with CP without CFS. Examining the utilization of pain-related healthcare services among this group would be a useful next step.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A population-based investigation into the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in United States military Veterans with chronic pain
- Creators
- Jenna L. Adamowicz - University of IowaEmily B. K. Thomas - The University of Iowa, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Iowa City, IA, USA, Center for Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City Healthcare System, Iowa City, IA, USABrian C. Lund - Iowa City VA Health Care SystemMary A. Driscoll - Yale UniversityMark Vander Weg - The University of Iowa, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Iowa City, IA, USA, Center for Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City Healthcare System, Iowa City, IA, USA, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Department of Community & Behavioral Health, Iowa City, IA, USA, University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USAKatherine Hadlandsmyth - Iowa City VA Health Care System
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Fatigue (Abingdon, Eng.), Vol.11(2-4), pp.129-141-141
- DOI
- 10.1080/21641846.2023.2239977
- ISSN
- 2164-1846
- eISSN
- 2164-1862
- Grant note
- name: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Office of Rural Health; name: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, HSR&D; name: University of Iowa Ballard & Seashore Dissertation Fellowship
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 08/02/2023
- Date published
- 2023
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Epidemiology; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Emergency Medicine; Anesthesia; Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984449560002771
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