Attitudes Regarding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: the Importance of a Name

Undergraduates from diverse academic backgrounds & medical trainees were assessed regarding their attitudes about & familiarity with chronic fatigue syndrome. The authors found that participants’ attributions toward the illness varied with names used to characterize it (CFS, myalgic encephalopathy, or Florence Nightingale disease). Medical trainees were more likely to consider the illness a form of primary depression, more likely to think the patient would attempt suicide, & less likely to consider associated cognitive symptoms as severe. The implications of these & further findings are discussed. (15 refs)