Perspectives of Family Medicine Physicians and Licensed Acupuncture Clinicians on Caring for Persons With Unexplained Chronic Fatigue

Unexplained chronic fatigue (UCF) is a poorly understood condition with little known about its etiology and treatment. A wide range of health care providers, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and complementary and alternative medical practitioners, offer services for persons with UCF. This...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Complementary health practice review 2007-10, Vol.12 (3), p.196-202
Main Authors: Daly, Jeanette M., Hartz, Arthur J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acupuncture
Acupuncturists
Aetiology
Alternative medicine
Care and treatment
Caregiving
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Coping
Diagnosis
Doctors
Etiology
Family physicians
Fatigue
General practitioners
Licenses
Medical personnel
Nurse practitioners
Physicians
Physicians (General practice)
Practice
Questionnaires
Symptoms
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:Unexplained chronic fatigue (UCF) is a poorly understood condition with little known about its etiology and treatment. A wide range of health care providers, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and complementary and alternative medical practitioners, offer services for persons with UCF. This study explored perspectives of family medicine physicians and licensed acupuncture clinicians with experience in treating patients with UCF, regarding their treatment regimens and perceived success at improving their patients' energy and coping with symptoms. A sample of 141 family medicine physicians and licensed acupuncturists was surveyed via a questionnaire; 48 returned the completed questionnaire. Clinicians reported treating from 3 to 375 patients with UCF. Family physicians provided more conventional methods, and licensed acupuncturists provided alternative treatments. The reported success of the licensed acupuncturists at improving energy and stamina and helping patients cope with fatigue was significantly higher than that of the family physicians. Implications for future research are discussed.
ISSN:1533-2101
1552-3845
2515-690X
DOI:10.1177/1533210107306842