Fatigue Survey Results Released

Fatigue described as “profound,” “debilitating,” and “preventing them from doing the simplest everyday tasks,” is a major issue for autoimmune disease (AD) patients, impacting nearly every aspect of their lives. It affects their mental and emotional well-being and their ability to work. And while most AD patients have discussed their fatigue with their physicians, many have not been prescribed treatment for their fatigue.

Major findings include:
● Almost all (98 percent) AD patients surveyed report they suffer from fatigue.

● Nine-in-10 (89 percent) say it is a “major issue” for them and six-in-10 (59 percent) say it is “probably
the most debilitating symptom of having an AD.”

● More than two-thirds (68 percent) say their “fatigue is anything but normal. It is profound and prevents [them] from doing the simplest everyday tasks.”

● While nearly nine-in-10 (87 percent) report they have discussed their fatigue with their doctor, six-in 10 (59 percent) say they have not been prescribed or suggested treatment by their doctors.

● Seven-in-10 (70 percent) believe others judge them negatively because of their fatigue.

● Three-quarters (75 percent) say their fatigue has impacted their ability to work; nearly four-in-10 (37 percent) say they are in financial distress because of it; one-in-five (21 percent) say it has caused them to lose their jobs; while the same number (21 percent) report they have filed for disability as a result of their fatigue.

● Fatigue impacts nearly every aspect of AD patients’ lives including overall quality of life (89 percent), career/ability to work (78 percent), romantic (78 percent), family (74 percent) and professional relationships (65 percent) and their self esteem (69 percent), among others.

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