Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a group-based self-management program
for people with chronic fatigue syndrome. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial.
SETTING: Four mid-sized towns in southern Norway and two suburbs of Oslo.
SUBJECTS: A total of 137 adults with chronic fatigue syndrome. INTERVENTION: A
self-management program including eight biweekly meetings of 2.5 hours duration.
The control group received usual care. MAIN MEASURES:
Primary outcome measure:
Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form-36 physical functioning subscale. SECONDARY
OUTCOME MEASURES:
Fatigue severity scale, self-efficacy scale, physical and
mental component summary of the Short Form-36, and the illness cognition
questionnaire (acceptance subscale). Assessments were performed at baseline, and
at six-month and one-year follow-ups. RESULTS:
At the six-month follow-up, a
significant difference between the two groups was found concerning fatigue
severity ( p = 0.039) in favor of the control group, and concerning self-efficacy
in favor of the intervention group ( p = 0.039).
These significant differences
were not sustained at the one-year follow-up. No significant differences were
found between the groups concerning physical functioning, acceptance, and health
status at any of the measure points. The drop-out rate was 13.9% and the median
number of sessions attended was seven (out of eight). CONCLUSIONS: The evaluated
self-management program did not have any sustained effect, as compared with
receiving usual care.

Langue : ANGLAIS