Could disease labelling have positive effects? An experimental study exploring the effect of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome label on intended social support

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterised by persistent fatigue accompanied by other symptoms including post-exertional malaise, muscle pain, tender lymph nodes, headaches, sore throat and impaired memory [1], although there is a lack of consensus about the diagnostic criteria [2]. CFS is diagnosed through a process of elimination whereby patients experiencing symptoms for a minimum of 6 months are diagnosed with CFS if there is no indication of another condition. It is difficult to determine the prevalence of CFS due to the inconsistency in the definition used by clinicians and researchers [3].
Source: Patient Education and Counseling - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research