Factors associated with fatigue in a Family Medicine clinic in the United Arab Emirates

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a common symptom in Family Medicine and it has many associated factors. The Arabian Gulf provides a unique setting for studying these factors, in particular the UAE where rapid development has been a prominent feature. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to sample a group of GP attenders and examine the factors which were associated with fatigue in the UAE. METHODS: A fatigue scale, psychological questionnaire, detailed history, physical examination and laboratory testing were administered to a sample of attenders at a Family Medicine clinic. RESULTS: Fatigue was more prevalent than in western studies (males 34.0%, females 38. 2%). It was strongly associated with anxiety, especially in younger adults, and it has been recognized that rapid social change is felt most acutely in young adults and adolescents. Depression in females was also a factor. Lack of exercise, obesity and illiteracy played a minor role in the severity of fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Fatigue appears to be a cultural 'idiom of distress', a way of expressing anxiety or depression in a rapidly changing society.