Anxiety and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): Examining the incidence of health anxiety in CFS/ME. — CFSMEATLAS
Anxiety and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): Examining the incidence of health anxiety in CFS/ME.
Daniels, Jo, Brigden, Amberly, Kacorova, Adela · Psychology and psychotherapy · 2017 · DOI
Quick Summary
This study looked at how many people with ME/CFS also experience health anxiety—worry about physical symptoms and their meaning. Researchers surveyed 45 ME/CFS patients and found that most had elevated worry about their health, and many had clinically significant health anxiety. The findings suggest that health anxiety is common in ME/CFS and may be worth screening for and treating.
Why It Matters
Health anxiety in ME/CFS has been under-researched despite potential clinical importance. This preliminary study highlights a frequently overlooked psychological dimension that may significantly impact symptom management, treatment adherence, and clinical outcomes. Understanding co-occurring health anxiety could lead to more effective, personalized treatment strategies for this complex condition.
Observed Findings
68.9% (31/45) of ME/CFS patients scored in the subclinical health anxiety range
42.2% (19/45) scored in the clinically significant health anxiety range
Anxiety prevalence was 42.2% using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
Depression prevalence was 33.3% using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
These anxiety and depression rates were comparable to recent large-scale trials
Inferred Conclusions
Health anxiety is common in ME/CFS populations and warrants routine clinical screening
Patients may experience elevated health anxiety because their condition is often delegitimized, rather than purely as a psychological manifestation of ME/CFS
Mutual maintenance between ME/CFS symptoms and health anxiety may negatively impact treatment success if not addressed
Health anxiety in ME/CFS may be effectively treatable with appropriately tailored interventions, as demonstrated in other chronic medical conditions
Remaining Questions
How does health anxiety develop over time in ME/CFS—is it present at disease onset or does it emerge later?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not establish causality—it cannot determine whether health anxiety causes ME/CFS symptoms, develops as a response to them, or whether both conditions independently co-occur. The small sample size and cross-sectional design limit generalizability to broader ME/CFS populations. The study does not evaluate how health anxiety specifically influences treatment outcomes or prognosis in ME/CFS.
Tags
Symptom:Fatigue
Method Flag:Weak Case DefinitionSmall SampleExploratory Only