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Chronic Fatigue and Sociodemographic Characteristics as Predictors of Psychiatric Disorders in a Community-based Sample

From the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL (R.R.T.); DePaul University, Chicago, IL (L.A.J.); and the Finch University of the Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, Chicago, IL (S.C.J.).

Address reprint requests to: Renee R. Taylor, PhD, Department of Occupational Therapy (MC 811), University of Illinois at Chicago, 1919 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL. E-mail: rtaylor{at}uic.edu

OBJECTIVES: To explore the roles of chronic fatigue and sociodemographic characteristics (eg, parental status, work status, socioeconomic status, sex, age, marital status, and ethnicity) as predictors of psychiatric disorders.

METHODS: A stratified random sample of 18,675 adults residing in diverse neighborhoods in Chicago completed a telephone-screening questionnaire. A control group without chronic fatigue (N = 74) and a group of individuals with chronic fatigue (N = 227) were identified and administered a semi-structured psychiatric interview. Stepwise logistic regression analyses predicting occurrence of current and lifetime psychiatric disorders according to chronic fatigue status and sociodemographics were conducted on this overall sample of 301 participants.

RESULTS: Chronic fatigue, low socioeconomic status, and unemployment were among significant predictors of overall Axis I psychiatric disorders. Chronic fatigue functioned as a predictor for mood and anxiety disorders (including posttraumatic stress disorder), but did not function as a predictor for somatoform disorders, substance abuse/dependence, and eating disorders. Low socioeconomic status and unemployment were significantly associated with current psychiatric disorder, and low socioeconomic status was also significantly associated with mood and anxiety disorders. Women were significantly more likely to experience mood disorder, and minorities (eg, African Americans, Latinos, and individuals of other ethnicity) were significantly more likely to report posttraumatic stress disorder.

CONCLUSIONS: Results support prior findings for increased rates of psychiatric disorder among individuals with chronic fatigue and highlight the roles of low socioeconomic status, unemployment, being a woman, and being classified as a minority in their association with certain psychiatric disorders.

Key Words: chronic fatigue, • sociodemographic, • community-based sample, • epidemiology.

Abbreviations: CFS = chronic fatigue syndrome;; SCID = The Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV.

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