How common is chronic fatigue syndrome?
It is not easy to say exactly how common chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is because it can be confused with lots of other illnesses.
Research shows CFS affects anywhere from 6 adults in every 100,000 to as many as 3,000 in every 100,000, depending on how the illness is defined.1 It is about as common in children (particularly teenagers) as it is in adults.2 Women get CFS more often than men do.3
Research also shows that white people get it less often than people who are black, Latino or American Indian.4 5
Sources for the information on this page:
- Afari N, Buchwald D. Chronic fatigue syndrome: a review. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2003;160:221-236.
- Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Evidence based guidelines for the management of CFS/ME in children and young people. December 2004. Available at: http://www.rcpch.ac.uk (accessed on 7 June 2006).
- Wessely S. The epidemeology of chronic fatigue syndrome. Epidemiologic Reviews. 1995; 17: 139-151. 8521932
- Steele L, Dobbins JG, Fukuda K, et al. The epidemiology of chronic fatigue in San Francisco. American Journal of Medicine. 1998; 105 (supplement 3A): 83-90.
- Jason LA, Richman JA, Rademaker AW, et al. A community-based study of chronic fatigue syndrome. Archives of Internal Medicine. 1999; 159: 2129-2137. 10527290
This information was last updated in Mar 10, 2008
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This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved. |
