Jason, Leonard A, Evans, Meredyth, Brown, Molly et al. · Disability studies quarterly · 2011 · DOI
This study tested different questionnaires and scales designed to measure fatigue in ME/CFS patients to see how well they could identify people with the disease. Researchers found that most common fatigue measurement tools didn't work very well—some were good at spotting sick people but missed others, or vice versa. The most promising tool was a specific question about fatigue that gets worse after physical activity, which is a key feature of ME/CFS.
This research directly addresses a practical clinical problem: physicians and researchers need reliable tools to accurately identify and diagnose ME/CFS patients. By identifying which fatigue measurement tools work best—particularly those capturing post-exertional malaise—this study helps improve diagnostic accuracy and ensures patients receive appropriate recognition and care.
This study does not prove that any single fatigue scale is perfect for diagnosing ME/CFS; it only evaluates which existing tools perform relatively better than others. It does not establish what causes ME/CFS or explain the biological mechanisms underlying fatigue in this condition. The findings may not apply equally across all patient populations or care settings.
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
Jason, Leonard A, Evans, Meredyth, Brown, Molly, Porter, Nicole, Brown, Abigail, Hunnell, Jessica, et al. (2011). Fatigue Scales and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Issues of Sensitivity and Specificity.. Disability studies quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207308325995
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-jason-2011-fatigue-scales,
author = {Jason, Leonard A and Evans, Meredyth and Brown, Molly and Porter, Nicole and Brown, Abigail and Hunnell, Jessica and Anderson, Valerie and Lerch, Athena},
title = {Fatigue Scales and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Issues of Sensitivity and Specificity.},
journal = {Disability studies quarterly},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1177/1044207308325995},
note = {PubMed: 21966179},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/jason-2011-fatigue-scales},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-28. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/jason-2011-fatigue-scales
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