THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL ADVERSITY ON THE FATIGUE SYNDROME, PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS AND PHYSICAL RECOVERY, FOLLOWING GLANDULAR FEVER

TWO hundred and fifty patients attending primary care with glandular f ever or an upper respiratory tract infection were studied prospectivel y up to 6 months after onset. Of these patients 228 were interviewed w ith the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule and the Schedule for Aff ective Disorders and Schizophrenia, giving Research Diagnostic Criteri a for psychiatric disorders. The experience of severe social adversity (provoking agents) had a significant association with psychiatric dis order at 2 months (odds ratio = 5.3) and 6 months (odds ratio = 5.8) a fter onset of infection. This association was especially significant f or depressive illness (odds ratio = 9.1 at 2 months and 11.9 at 6 mont hs). In contrast, social adversity had little association with the dev elopment of the post-infectious fatigue syndrome, or delayed physical recovery. Social adversity may be an important maintaining factor for psychiatric disorders, especially depressive illness, following acute infections.