Date sent:      	Tue, 14 May 2002 

Fatigue severity, attributions, medical utilization, and symptoms in
persons with chronic fatigue.

Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 25 (2), 99-113 (2002)

Torres-Harding, S.R., Jason, L.A., & Taylor, R.R.

DePaul University


This study examined the roles of ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic
status in predicting fatigue severity, symptoms, medical utilization, and
attributions among a sample of individuals with chronic fatigue. Using path
analysis, a model was tested and revised.

In the new model, gender predicted fatigue, ethnicity predicted
attributions, fatigue predicted medical utilization and attributions, and
attributions predicted medical utilization. Women reported more fatigue and
were more likely to feel stress and depression were causing their fatigue.

Higher SES participants were more likely to cite stress and overwork as
causing their fatigue. Latinos reported more physical symptoms than
African-Americans and Whites.

The implications of these results are discussed.