Defining and measuring fatigue.

In response to a long history of problems with defining and measuring fatigue, the University of Kansas School of Nursing established a Center for Biobehavioral Studies of Fatigue Management to facilitate the study of fatigue in diverse populations. The purpose of this article is to review past efforts to define and measure fatigue and the conceptual problems relevant to currently used measures of fatigue. Several distinct characteristics and corresponding measures of fatigue are identified and a definition and framework for the study of fatigue are discussed. Future research on fatigue must attend to the conceptual distinctions among various measures and the measures of fatigue most appropriate to the goals of a study.

Fatigue among elders in caregiving and noncaregiving roles.

Fatigue is a complex symptom prevalent in informal caregiving. When role demands exceed caregiver resources, fatigue ensues and caregiving can be compromised. The purpose of this study was to compare perceptions of fatigue among older adults (N = 92) caring for spouses with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or cancer with a control group of older adults (N = 33) whose spouses required no extra care. Caregiving elders reported more fatigue, less energy, and more sleep difficulty than did control participants. All caregiving groups reported similar levels of fatigue, energy, sleep, and self-reported health even though there were marked differences regarding spousal status. Health care providers can support older caregivers in monitoring their own health and in recognizing the need for services that support the caregiving role.

Effects of exercise on fatigue, aerobic fitness, and disease activity measures in persons with rheumatoid arthritis.

The effects of 12 weeks of low-impact aerobic exercise on fatigue, aerobic fitness, and disease activity were examined in a quasi-experimental time series study of 25 adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Measures were obtained preintervention, midtreatment (after 6 weeks of exercise), end of treatment (after 12 weeks of exercise), and at a 15-week follow-up. ANOVAS for repeated measures showed that those subjects who participated more frequently reported decreased fatigue, while those who participated less frequently reported an increase in fatigue. All subjects, on average, showed increased aerobic fitness and increased right and left hand grip strength, decreased pain, and decreased walk time. There were no significant increases in joint count or sedimentation rate. Significant improvements in measures at the 15-week follow-up also were found. Findings indicate that persons with RA who participate in appropriate exercises may lessen fatigue levels and experience other positive effects without worsening their arthritis.

Child sexual abuse prevention: does it work?

Child sexual abuse prevention programs designed to teach children ways to recognize, resist, and report sexual abuse have proliferated in the past five years. The authors evaluate one such program to find out what children know before instruction, if they learn how to prevent sexual abuse, and how they and their parents and professionals who work with children react to such a program.

The effect of deviations from stereotyped expectations upon attitudes toward older persons.

Subjects read an interview in which either a 36-year-old or a 76-year-old widow talked about her life and discussed how she had spent the previous day; they then recorded their impressions of the woman and rated her on a number of scales. Contrary to expectations, subjects rated the older woman significantly more favorably than the younger woman, even when her behavior corresponded to negative stereotypes of older person. Evidence from subjects' written impressions and spontaneous comments indicated that an older person who is alert, interesting, and involved is perceived as deviating from stereotyped expectations and is evaluated more positively than a younger person who exhibits these same characteristics. This may account for the fact that perceivers consistently view specific older persons as exceptional, even while they retain negative stereotypes of older people in general.