Fox, Roy, Sampalli, Tara, Fox, Jonathan · Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2008 · DOI
This study looked at how well a multidisciplinary treatment program (combining different types of care) worked for people with multiple chemical sensitivity and related conditions like ME/CFS. Researchers tracked 292 patients over time and used a symptom questionnaire to measure improvement. They found that some symptoms like difficulty concentrating and tiredness improved quickly (within 6 months), while others like fatigue took longer to improve.
This study addresses a critical gap in outcome measurement for ME/CFS and related conditions by developing and testing symptom assessment tools designed specifically for this complex patient population. Understanding which symptoms respond earlier versus later to multidisciplinary care could help patients set realistic expectations and guide treatment prioritization.
This observational pilot study does not prove that the multidisciplinary approach causes symptom improvement, as there is no control group for comparison. The study cannot determine which specific treatment components are responsible for any observed changes, nor can it establish whether improvements would have occurred naturally over time. Results represent a facility-specific population and may not generalize to all ME/CFS patients.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Fox, Roy, Sampalli, Tara, & Fox, Jonathan (2008). Measuring health outcomes of a multidisciplinary care approach in individuals with chronic environmental conditions using an abbreviated symptoms questionnaire.. Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare. https://doi.org/10.2147/jmdh.s4147
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-fox-2008-measuring-health,
author = {Fox, Roy and Sampalli, Tara and Fox, Jonathan},
title = {Measuring health outcomes of a multidisciplinary care approach in individuals with chronic environmental conditions using an abbreviated symptoms questionnaire.},
journal = {Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.2147/jmdh.s4147},
note = {PubMed: 21197341},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/fox-2008-measuring-health},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/fox-2008-measuring-health
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