Social Support and the Persistence of Complaints in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Several studies suggested that the surroundings of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients are of importance in the persistence of complaints. Contrary to what was expected, participation in support groups has not led to clinical improvement. The purpose of the present study was to describe social support in CFS patients as compared with other fatigued and non-fatigued groups. Further, changes in social support and the influence of social support on the course of CFS over a period of more than 1 year were studied in patients with and without treatment. Methods: Baseline data were assessed in 270 CFS patients, 150 disease-free breast cancer patients, 151 fatigued employees on sick-leave and 108 healthy subjects using the Social Support List and Significant Others Scale. CFS patients were followed in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), guided support groups and natural course at 8 and 14 months. Results: CFS patients and fatigued employees reported more negative interactions and insufficiency of supporting interactions than cancer patients and healthy controls. No differences in frequency of supporting interactions were found. Negative interactions decreased significantly after treatment with CBT, but did not change in support groups or natural course. In the natural course, higher fatigue severity at 8 months was predicted by more negative interactions at baseline. Conclusions: In CFS patients and fatigued employees, social support is worse than in disease-free cancer patients and healthy controls. Lack of social support was identified as a new factor in the model of perpetuating factors of fatigue severity and functional impairment in CFS.

Prediction of outcome in patients presenting with fatigue in primary care

“…The associations of prolonged difficulties and social support with outcome are in line with studies among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, showing that negative interactions or insufficient support contribute to the persistence of symptoms, 31 and that negative or serious difficulties were more frequent in the months preceding the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome. 32,33 Furthermore, enjoying daily activities was univariately associated with a positive outcome in the current study, while the number of life events was not associated with a negative outcome.…”

How Patients Experience and Give Meaning to Their Cancer-related Fatigue?

“…The results of this study suggest that the psychological and social support required by patients may vary depending on their level of fatigue. This study is aligned to the work of others who have suggested that interventions that strengthen the social support network of cancer patients may improve health outcome by protecting them from disease-related stress (Karakoc & Yurtsever, 2010;House, 2011;Uchino, 2004;Prins et al, 2004).…”

Effects of a partly self-administered exercise program before, during, and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

“…Furthermore, with 112 included patients (105 starting), the current study is one of the largest RCTs of allo-HSCT and physical exercise. The control group had the same dose of social contact, a key consideration when studying cancer-related fatigue 35 and QoL 36 in the context of HSCT. 37 Our study demonstrates that a partly supervised exercise intervention that is initiated before HSCT and continues after discharge significantly reduced cancer-related fatigue and improves the secondary outcome parameters physical capacity, functioning, anger/ hostility, pain, and global distress, which are the most common and impairing adverse effects of allo-HSCT besides GVHD.…”