Among general practitioners (GPs) opinion has been
divided about the validity of chronic fatigue syndrome or
myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) as an illness. Now, in a
report to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) an expert group
has concluded that the condition is indeed a chronic illness
meriting significant NHS resources, including the unreserved
attention of the medical profession. Widespread
publicity was given to the CMO’s enthusiastic reception of
the report, which included the statement: ‘This is a real disease

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Psychiatric disorders were studied in a volunteer group of 181 firefighters who served as rescue/recovery workers after the Oklahoma City bombing.

METHOD:

Approximately 34 months after the disaster, the authors retrospectively assessed psychopathology both before and after the bombing with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Findings for male rescue workers were compared with those of male primary victims who had been in the direct path of the blast and who had been assessed with the same instrument.

RESULTS: