Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2012 Feb;86(2):147-55.
doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2011.04.016. Epub 2011 May 14.

A review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Valerie R Anderson  1 , Leonard A Jason, Laura E Hlavaty, Nicole Porter, Jacqueline Cudia
Affiliations
Review

A review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Valerie R Anderson et al. Patient Educ Couns. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To review and synthesize findings across qualitative studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Methods: Articles were systematically reviewed and analyzed within a meta-analytic framework. Analyses included a multi-perspective examination of ME/CFS, as well as a comparative analysis of ME/CFS versus other chronic conditions.

Results: Thirty-four qualitative studies on ME/CFS were included. Findings include three substantive thematic areas that focus on: (1) experiences of people with ME/CFS, (2) experiences of physicians, and (3) themes that intersect both of these groups. For patients, illness development influenced identity, reductions in functioning, and coping. Physician-specific themes described lack of awareness about ME/CFS and recommended improvement in educational resources. Intersecting themes expressed issues with diagnosis creating tensions and fueling the stigmatization of ME/CFS.

Conclusions: Findings indicate multilayered, context-specific experiences and ways in which both people with ME/CFS, as well as those involved in their lives (e.g., family or the medical community), interpret this illness. Future qualitative studies should recognize the various facets of the ME/CFS experience, the network members of people with ME/CFS, and the sociocultural environment through which the illness is understood.

Practice implications: Health care professionals can gain unique insight from patient experiences, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Flowchart 1
Flowchart 1
Identification and Selection of Qualitative Studies on ME/CFS From: Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(6): e1000097. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed1000097
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Acheson ED. The clinical syndrome variously called benign myalgic encephalomyelitis, Iceland disease and epidemic neuromyasthenia. Am J Med. 1959;4:569–595. - PubMed
    1. Jenkins R, Mowbray JF. Post-viral fatigue syndrome. New York: John Wiley & Sons Ltd; 1991.
    1. Komaroff AL. The “chronic mononucleosis” syndromes. Hosp Pract. 1987;22:71–75. - PubMed
    1. Straus SE, Tosato G, Armstrong G, Lawley T, Preble OT, Henle W, et al. Persisting illness and fatigue in adults with evidence of Epstein-Barr virus infection. Ann Intern Med. 1985;102:7–16. - PubMed
    1. Fukuda K, Straus SE, Hickie I, Sharpe MC, Dobbins JG, Komaroff A. The chronic fatigue syndrome: A comprehensive approach to its definition and study. Ann Intern Med. 1994;121:953–959. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms