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Publications: Economic Impact
This section contains reviews and abstracts of articles covering the economical impact of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome
Reynolds KJ, Vernon SD, Bouchery E, Reeves WC.The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 2:4, 2004.
Summary
CDC studies of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in the general population of Wichita, Kansas, have allowed us to estimate the economic impact of this syndrome. In the Wichita study, 56,000 people were interviewed over the telephone. Of these people, 3,551 reported that they had been suffering from fatigue for more than a month, and of them, 43 were classified as having CFS during a clinical evaluation conducted as part of the study. The lost productivity caused by CFS in Wichita was estimated on the basis of information given by participants about their current employment status, household income, and occupation. Respondents also outlined the amount of housework they did and, for those with CFS, the amount that they had done prior to suffering from the condition. Approximately a quarter of those with CFS, who would otherwise have been employed, left their jobs on account of their illness. Those who continued to work lost about one-third of their income.
The annual total value of lost productivity was estimated at about $20,000 per person with CFS. This loss was the result of a 37% decline in household productivity and a 54% rEducation in labor force productivity among people with the syndrome. This value was then extrapolated to the whole of the United States, assuming that a similar proportion of the population was affected by CFS, around 450,000 individuals in total. The estimate gave a total loss of $9.1 billion, made up of $2.3 billion from lost household productivity and $6.8 billion from lost labor force productivity. This estimate, which is equivalent to the financial losses caused by digestive system disorders and infectious and parasitic diseases, does not include healthcare costs, which are likely to be substantial. This could well be an underestimate of the total cost to the country because the Wichita study only picked up people currently suffering from CFS. Thus, those who were temporarily in remission would have been overlooked. In addition, patients who had recovered from CFS also would have been overlooked, and such people are likely to be earning less than they would have if they had remained healthy throughout their working life because the loss of work time means the loss of work experience and, thus, promotion potential.
Abstract
Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a chronic incapacitating illness that affects between 400,000 and 800,000 Americans. Despite the disabling nature of this illness, scant research has addressed the economic impact of CFS either on those affected or on the national economy.
Methods: We used microsimulation methods to analyze data from a surveillance study of CFS in Wichita, Kansas, and derive estimates of productivity losses due to CFS.
Results: We estimated a 37% decline in household productivity and a 54% rEducation in labor force productivity among people with CFS. The annual total value of lost productivity in the United States was $9.1 billion, which represents about $20,000 per person with CFS or approximately one-half of the household and labor force productivity of the average person with this syndrome.
Conclusions: Lost productivity due to CFS was substantial both on an individual basis and relative to national estimates for other major illnesses. CFS resulted in a national productivity loss comparable to such losses from diseases of the digestive, immune and nervous systems, and from skin disorders. The extent of the burden indicates that continued research to determine the cause and potential therapies for CFS could provide substantial benefit both for individual patients and for the nation.
Page last modified on April 8, 2008
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