Experiences of general practitioner continuity among women with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a cross-sectional study. — CFSMEATLAS
Experiences of general practitioner continuity among women with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a cross-sectional study.
Hansen, Anne Helen, Lian, Olaug S · BMC health services research · 2016 · DOI
Quick Summary
This study asked Norwegian women with ME/CFS about their experiences with their general practitioners across three areas: whether doctors shared information with them, whether their care was well-coordinated, and whether they felt their doctor understood them personally. Most women (about two-thirds) reported positive experiences in all three areas, though information-sharing and care coordination could be improved. The study found that longer relationships with the same GP and better communication were linked to more positive experiences.
Why It Matters
Continuity of care is essential for patients managing complex chronic illnesses like ME/CFS. This study identifies specific gaps in how GP care is delivered to ME/CFS patients and highlights that building longer-term relationships with GPs and improving information-sharing may be practical strategies to enhance care quality and patient satisfaction.
Participants with primary school education only were significantly less likely to experience good informational continuity compared to university-educated participants
Participants aged 60+ years were more likely to report positive management continuity than those aged 40-59
A GP relationship lasting three or more years was associated with better relational continuity experiences
Patients reporting severe or very severe disease were more likely to experience poor relational continuity
Inferred Conclusions
A substantial majority of women with ME/CFS experience positive GP continuity, particularly in the relational dimension
Informational and management continuity require improvement, suggesting GPs should prioritize better information-sharing and care coordination
Educational attainment and disease severity are important factors affecting continuity experiences and may indicate patients needing targeted support
Establishing longer-term GP relationships appears beneficial for relational continuity
Remaining Questions
Do these continuity experiences vary significantly in men with ME/CFS, and how do findings generalize to countries with different healthcare systems?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not establish causation or whether better continuity experiences actually improve ME/CFS health outcomes. The findings apply only to Norwegian women with ME/CFS who joined a patient association, so results may not generalize to men, other countries, or unaffiliated patients. The cross-sectional design cannot determine whether longer GP relationships cause better experiences or whether satisfied patients simply maintain these relationships longer.