All concur that CFS is a serious public health concern, affects people of all races, ages, genders, and socioeconomic classes, and is far more common than previously thought. However researchers have found that it is a particularly serious problem among women of childbearing age. Among women the prevalence jumped to 356 per 100,000, and among Caucasian women to 394 per 100,000. When extrapolated to the U.S. population, this study conservatively estimates that more than 300,000 American women ages 18-69 suffer from this debilitating illness. In addition, these researchers found a vastly increased rate in minorities and individuals in lower-income brackets, two populations that have not previously been recognized as being at greater risk for CFS, and are generally underserved by the medical community.
Women usually serve as primary caregivers for their families.
The increased rate of CFS in females has important consequences for the many roles women play. With more than a decade of research behind us, some clues to understanding CFS are beginning to emerge. Two independent research teams 5,6,7 have found a previously unknown low molecular weight form of RNase-Lin CFS patients, which may indicate a problem with CFS patients' antiviral system. A CFS-like illness can also result from Lyme disease, polio, and other infectious illnesses. An autonomic defect that causes blood pressure dysregulation.