Study On The Status Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Related Factors Among Pirmary School Teachers In Nanchang City

Objective: To understand the present epidemic status and distributioncharacteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in primary school teachers inNanchang city, and to discuss the related factors of CFS and offer its cut-off valuefor diagnosis of Fatigue Self-assessment Scale (FSAS), so as to provide somereference for prevention and treatment of CFS and further studies which focus onprimary school teachers.Methods: Using stratified sampling method,934teachers were extracted from10primary schools in Nanchang City, and893effective questionnaires were returned.Participants were assessed with a self-made demographic information questionnaire,the CFS related factors, the CFS self-assessment scale (according to the reviseddiagnostic criterion of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in1994),the form of fatigue-classification and FSAS. Then the doctors of the department ofpsychosomatic medicine followed up every suspected patient to make a definitediagnosis. We analyzed the participants’ fatigue and CFS prevalence and distributioncharacteristics, using logistic regression analysis method to result the related factorsof CFS, drawing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to analyze theopimal cut-off point for FSAS to distinguish CFS as well as the relative indexes ofspecificity and sensitivity.Results:(1)89.47%of the primary school teachers had different degrees offatigue, most of whom were only slight, and the rate of CFS was12.88%[95%CI(10.7%-15.1%)], which was rising as the age increasing, and no significantdifference was found in the rates between different genders.(2) Fatigue scores of the multiple-factor linear analysis showed that factors suchas age, current work pressure, the present job satisfaction, physical exercises andrecreational activities were closely associated with fatigue scores.(3) Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the age being50orabove (OR=2.438) and having strained relationship with students’ parents(OR=6.360) were main risk factors for CFS, while higher satisfaction about working environment (OR=0.637), various recreational activities (OR=0.151) andalways seeking help from others when experiencing troubles (OR=0.726) wereprotective factors for CFS.(4) The FSAS score of optimal cut-off point for diagnosis of fatigue was39.2,determined by the receiver operating characteristic curve. The sensitivity andspecificity at this cut-off point were76.52%and75.45%, respectively．The areaunder curve was0.817[95%CI (0.778,0.855)].Conclusions:(1) The fatigue phenomenon in primary school teachers iscommon in Nanchang city, the detection rate of CFS is high among primary schoolteachers, with a rising trend as the age increasing.(2) High sensitivity and specificity achieved by the method using fast, simpleand easily spreading FSAS for identifying CFS show great potential for earlydiagnosis of CFS cases.(3) It is helpful to prevent the occurrence of CFS by improving the relationshipbetween students’ parents and teachers as well as people’s working environment,taking part in proper recreational activities and releasing troubles timely.(4) Prevention of teachers’ fatigue and CFS should be emphasized bygovernment, society, school and individual...