Lian, Olaug S, Hansen, Anne Helen · Health (London, England : 1997) · 2016 · DOI
This study surveyed 431 women with ME/CFS about their experiences with doctors in Norway. The researchers found that patients were most satisfied when their doctor understood their illness, saw them regularly, and referred them to specialists. The most important factor was feeling like an equal partner with their doctor rather than just being told what to do.
ME/CFS patients frequently report dissatisfaction with medical care and feeling unheard by healthcare providers. This study identifies specific, actionable relational factors—particularly continuity of care and shared understanding—that improve patient experiences, suggesting practical improvements general practitioners can implement when caring for ME/CFS patients.
This study cannot prove that relational factors cause satisfaction; it only shows associations. The cross-sectional design cannot establish temporal relationships or rule out unmeasured confounders. Results are specific to Norwegian women with ME/CFS and may not generalize to other healthcare systems, populations, or genders.
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
Lian, Olaug S & Hansen, Anne Helen (2016). Factors facilitating patient satisfaction among women with medically unexplained long-term fatigue: A relational perspective.. Health (London, England : 1997). https://doi.org/10.1177/1363459315583158
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-lian-2016-factors-facilitating,
author = {Lian, Olaug S and Hansen, Anne Helen},
title = {Factors facilitating patient satisfaction among women with medically unexplained long-term fatigue: A relational perspective.},
journal = {Health (London, England : 1997)},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1177/1363459315583158},
note = {PubMed: 25979224},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/lian-2016-factors-facilitating},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-25. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/lian-2016-factors-facilitating
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