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Research Articles

Assessing current functioning as a measure of significant reduction in activity level

, , , , , & ORCID Icon show all
Pages 175-188
Received 09 May 2016
Accepted 22 Jun 2016
Published online: 19 Jul 2016
 

ABSTRACT

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome have case definitions with varying criteria, but almost all criteria require an individual to have a substantial reduction in activity level. Unfortunately, a consensus has not been reached regarding what constitutes substantial reductions. One measure that has been used to measure substantial reduction is the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36). [1 Ware JE, Sherbourne CD. The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36): conceptual framework and item selection. Med Care. 1992;30:473483. doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/00005650-199206000-00002[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]] Purpose: The current study examined the relationship between the SF-36, a measure of current functioning, and a self-report measure of the percent reduction in hours spent on activities. Results: Findings indicated that select subscales of the SF-36 accurately measure significant reductions in functioning. Further, this measure significantly differentiates patients from controls. Conclusion: Determining what constitutes a significant reduction in activity is difficult because it is subjective to the individual. However, certain subscales of the SF-36 could provide a uniform way to accurately measure and define substantial reductions in functioning.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Funding was provided by National Institutes for Allergy and Infectious Diseases [grant number AI105781] and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [grant number HD072208].

Notes on contributors

Taylor Thorpe

Taylor Thorpe is a research assistant at the Center for Community Research.

Stephanie McManimen

Stephanie McManimen is a research assistant at the Center for Community Research.

Kristen Gleason

Kristen Gleason received her PhD from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and is currently a project director at the Center for Community Research.

Jamie Stoothoff

Jamie Stoothoff is a research assistant at the Center for Community Research.

Julia L. Newton

Julia L. Newton is the Dean for Clinical Medicine and Clinical Professor of Ageing and Medicine at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.

Elin Bolle Strand

Elin Bolle Strand is the Managing Director at Oslo University Hospital.

Leonard A. Jason

Leonard A. Jason is a professor of psychology at DePaul University. He is also the director of the Center for Community Research.

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