Demographic correlates of fatigue in a university family health centre

Abstract

To delineate the demographic correlates of the fatigued patient, 297 patients attending a family practice centre were investigated. Women were more frequently tired than were men; patients with less than a college education were over-represented, and employed persons were more robust than the unemployed. Fatigue was also associated with lack of exercise, nightly wakening and the presence of children less than six years old in the household. There were no significant relationships between fatigue and age, smoking or 'reducing' diets. The results of the study shed new light on the correlates of fatigue and confirmed some long-standing beliefs.