£102m loss of earnings for ME sufferers 'tip of the iceberg'
A study of the effects of Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME), or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, at the University of Bristol has estimated the loss of earnings for UK sufferers at £102 million per year.
In a study group of 2,170 patients, women lost an average of £16,130 annual earnings, while men lost £44,515, mainly because men work more. The results were extrapolated to the UK using national earnings data.
But paediatrician Dr Esther Crawley, who led the research, told the British Science Festival in Bradford that even this figure is only for patients who have received specialist care for the condition. There is potentially a larger group of sufferers with yet more lost earnings.
“Treatment is effective”, said Dr Crawley, and intervention with employers could get people back into work. But research has shown that only about half of GPs feel confident in diagnosing ME, and delays in diagnosing the debilitating condition are a major problem. “We need to offer more training for GPs” said Dr Crawley.
In a study group of 2,170 patients, women lost an average of £16,130 annual earnings, while men lost £44,515, mainly because men work more. The results were extrapolated to the UK using national earnings data.
But paediatrician Dr Esther Crawley, who led the research, told the British Science Festival in Bradford that even this figure is only for patients who have received specialist care for the condition. There is potentially a larger group of sufferers with yet more lost earnings.
“Treatment is effective”, said Dr Crawley, and intervention with employers could get people back into work. But research has shown that only about half of GPs feel confident in diagnosing ME, and delays in diagnosing the debilitating condition are a major problem. “We need to offer more training for GPs” said Dr Crawley.
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