Scheeres, Korine, Wensing, Michel, Mes, Carola et al. · Patient education and counseling · 2007 · DOI
This study looked at whether giving doctors written information about cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment for ME/CFS would encourage them to refer their patients to try it. Researchers surveyed over 300 general practitioners and found that most who received the information remembered it and had better understanding of ME/CFS. About 22% of the doctors ended up referring at least one patient for CBT treatment during the study period.
This study is important because it identifies an evidence-based strategy for improving healthcare provider knowledge about ME/CFS and increasing access to an established treatment option. Understanding barriers to referral and effective communication methods can help bridge the gap between ME/CFS patients and appropriate treatment, potentially improving patient outcomes and reducing diagnostic delays.
This study does not prove that CBT is an effective treatment for ME/CFS itself—it only examines whether doctors refer patients after receiving information. The study also does not establish causation between the informational intervention and referrals, nor does it track patient outcomes or satisfaction with the treatment received. Finally, it does not assess whether non-referral was due to lack of knowledge or other factors like GP skepticism about CBT's efficacy for this condition.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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