Patients who consult with tiredness: frequency of consultation, perceived causes of tiredness and its association with psychological distress.

摘要: BACKGROUND: Few prospective studies have been carried out in primary care on patients presenting with tiredness. AIM: A study was undertaken to describe whose main complaint fatigue or of being "tired all the time'. METHOD: Over one year, doctors four practices Lancashire, Mid-Glamorgan, Suffolk and Surrey recruited 220 aged 16 years more fatigue, matched them a comparison group from their lists. The general health questionnaire, questionnaire an attribution were used measure outcomes over six months. General practice records consultations also examined. RESULTS: Patients consulting for tiredness attended doctor significantly frequently than both months before after entering study. frequency attending could not be related duration severity alone. majority scored highly but so did equivalent scores group. correlation between close those who still had high later it entry Six following 61% perceived cause physical, while 57% viewed problem as psychological. small number changed views during follow up physical psychological attributions. CONCLUSION: are likely report symptoms distress attend other patients. They tend view Having established that there is no problem, may need focus sharing ideas explanations when complain