Study: More Americans Affected by Long-term Tiredness
2023-12-19
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle Report.
2The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released its most recent estimate for adults with chronic fatigue syndrome.
3People with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) suffer from at least six months of severe tiredness that is not helped by rest.
4They can also report pain and mental confusion.
5Health officials said the study was the first nationally representative estimate of how many U.S. adults have chronic fatigue syndrome.
6The study gathered information from 2021 to 2022.
7It found that 1.3 percent of American adults reported having CFS or something like it.
8These numbers from the CDC are larger than earlier studies have suggested.
9They likely include people with long COVID, a condition of long-lasting sickness after a COVID-19 infection.
10The findings led CDC's Dr. Elizabeth Unger to say that CFS "is not a rare illness."
11She was one of the writers of the report.
12The tiredness and other symptoms of CFS can get worse after exercise, work, or other activity.
13There is no cure, and no testing leads to a quick diagnosis.
14Doctors do not know the cause.
15However, research suggests it is the body's overreaction to an infection or other shock to the immune system.
16The condition gained attention nearly 40 years ago, when many cases were reported in Incline Village, Nevada, and Lyndonville, New York.
17Some doctors dismissed it, calling it psychosomatic.
18Psychosomatic means a problem is mental or emotional rather than physical.
19Some doctors also called it "yuppie flu."
20"Yuppie" stands for "young, urban professional," people who have good jobs and medical coverage.
21Some doctors still think CFS is a mental condition, experts and patients say.
22Doctors "called me a hypochondriac and said it was just anxiety and depression," said Hannah Powell.
23She is a 26-year-old woman from Utah who was diagnosed after five years.
24The new CDC report is based on a survey of more than 57,000 U.S. adults.
25They were asked if a doctor or other health-care professional had ever told them they had myalgic encephalomyelitis, or CFS, and whether they still have it.
26About 1.3 percent said yes to both questions.
27CDC officials said that results in an estimate of 3.3 million U.S. adults.
28The study also reported other findings.
29It said that CFS was more common in women than men.
30White people reported the condition more than other racial and ethnic groups.
31Earlier, smaller studies reported similar findings.
32The findings showed there was less of a difference between women and men than some earlier studies suggested.
33And there was little difference between Black and white people.
34However, the study also found that a higher percentage of poor people reported the condition than wealthy people.
35Dr. Brayden Yellman is a specialist at the Bateman Horne Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
36He said patients who report the condition usually have health care coverage.
37He said doctors might believe them more when they say they "continue to be fatigued and can't go to work."
38The CDC study is based on patients' memories.
39It did not use medical records.
40That could lead to overcounting.
41However, it is possible that only a percentage of people with CFS are diagnosed, said Dr. Daniel Clauw.
42He is director of the University of Michigan's Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center.
43He added that is not a "popular diagnosis to give because there (are) no drugs approved for it. There (are) no treatment guidelines for it."
44The total number likely includes some patients with long COVID who were suffering from long-term tiredness, CDC officials said.
45"We think it's the same illness," Yellman said.
46But long COVID is more widely accepted by doctors and is being diagnosed much more quickly, he said.
47Powell, one of Yellman's patients, was a high school athlete who came down with an illness during a trip to Belize before her final year.
48Doctors thought she had malaria, and she seemed to recover.
49But she developed chronic tiredness, had trouble sleeping, and had frequent vomiting.
50She said she slowly stopped playing sports and had trouble doing schoolwork.
51After five years, a doctor said she had chronic fatigue.
52She began to regain normal life through regular treatments of fluids and medications.
53She graduated from the University of Utah and now works for an organization that helps domestic violence victims.
54Getting care is still a struggle, she said.
55"When I go to the (emergency room) or to another doctor's visit, instead of saying I have chronic fatigue syndrome, I usually say I have long COVID," Powell said.
56"And I am believed almost immediately."
57And that's the Health & Lifestyle Report. I'm Anna Matteo.
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle Report. 2The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released its most recent estimate for adults with chronic fatigue syndrome. 3People with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) suffer from at least six months of severe tiredness that is not helped by rest. They can also report pain and mental confusion. 4Health officials said the study was the first nationally representative estimate of how many U.S. adults have chronic fatigue syndrome. The study gathered information from 2021 to 2022. It found that 1.3 percent of American adults reported having CFS or something like it. 5These numbers from the CDC are larger than earlier studies have suggested. They likely include people with long COVID, a condition of long-lasting sickness after a COVID-19 infection. 6The findings led CDC's Dr. Elizabeth Unger to say that CFS "is not a rare illness." She was one of the writers of the report. 7The tiredness and other symptoms of CFS can get worse after exercise, work, or other activity. There is no cure, and no testing leads to a quick diagnosis. 8No known cause 9Doctors do not know the cause. However, research suggests it is the body's overreaction to an infection or other shock to the immune system. 10The condition gained attention nearly 40 years ago, when many cases were reported in Incline Village, Nevada, and Lyndonville, New York. Some doctors dismissed it, calling it psychosomatic. Psychosomatic means a problem is mental or emotional rather than physical. 11Some doctors also called it "yuppie flu." "Yuppie" stands for "young, urban professional," people who have good jobs and medical coverage. 12Some doctors still think CFS is a mental condition, experts and patients say. 13Doctors "called me a hypochondriac and said it was just anxiety and depression," said Hannah Powell. She is a 26-year-old woman from Utah who was diagnosed after five years. 14New findings from the report 15The new CDC report is based on a survey of more than 57,000 U.S. adults. They were asked if a doctor or other health-care professional had ever told them they had myalgic encephalomyelitis, or CFS, and whether they still have it. About 1.3 percent said yes to both questions. 16CDC officials said that results in an estimate of 3.3 million U.S. adults. 17The study also reported other findings. It said that CFS was more common in women than men. White people reported the condition more than other racial and ethnic groups. Earlier, smaller studies reported similar findings. 18The findings showed there was less of a difference between women and men than some earlier studies suggested. And there was little difference between Black and white people. 19However, the study also found that a higher percentage of poor people reported the condition than wealthy people. 20CFS is not a popular diagnosis 21Dr. Brayden Yellman is a specialist at the Bateman Horne Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. He said patients who report the condition usually have health care coverage. He said doctors might believe them more when they say they "continue to be fatigued and can't go to work." 22The CDC study is based on patients' memories. It did not use medical records. That could lead to overcounting. However, it is possible that only a percentage of people with CFS are diagnosed, said Dr. Daniel Clauw. He is director of the University of Michigan's Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center. 23He added that is not a "popular diagnosis to give because there (are) no drugs approved for it. There (are) no treatment guidelines for it." 24The total number likely includes some patients with long COVID who were suffering from long-term tiredness, CDC officials said. 25"We think it's the same illness," Yellman said. But long COVID is more widely accepted by doctors and is being diagnosed much more quickly, he said. 26Powell, one of Yellman's patients, was a high school athlete who came down with an illness during a trip to Belize before her final year. Doctors thought she had malaria, and she seemed to recover. But she developed chronic tiredness, had trouble sleeping, and had frequent vomiting. She said she slowly stopped playing sports and had trouble doing schoolwork. 27After five years, a doctor said she had chronic fatigue. She began to regain normal life through regular treatments of fluids and medications. She graduated from the University of Utah and now works for an organization that helps domestic violence victims. 28Getting care is still a struggle, she said. 29"When I go to the (emergency room) or to another doctor's visit, instead of saying I have chronic fatigue syndrome, I usually say I have long COVID," Powell said. "And I am believed almost immediately." 30And that's the Health & Lifestyle Report. I'm Anna Matteo. 31Mike Stobbe reported this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 32______________________________________________ 33Words in This Story 34confusion -n. an inability to think clearly 35diagnosis -n. when a doctor says or confirms that a person has a medical condition 36hypochondriac -n. a person who is worried about sickness and death more than normal 37anxiety -n. a feeling of worry and high tension 38survey -n. a study in which researchers ask people questions about what they think and report the results 39fatigued -adj. feeling tired or worn out 40vomit -v. to be sick in the stomach and to expel its contents out of one's mouth