Factors impacting the illness trajectory of post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study of adults’ experiences

Table 1 Sample characteristics (N = 26)

Demographic variables
Gender
	19	Females
	7	Males
Years of age
	26–59 (mean 40)
Education level
	2	Lower secondary education	≤ 9 years
	4	Upper secondary education	10–13 years
	6	College/university Bachelor	14–16 years
	14	College/university graduate	≥ 17 years
Marital status
	12	Single
	9	Married
	2	Cohabiting
	3	Divorced
Work/study status
	6 4	Females Males	Worked/studied part time & partly dependent on welfare benefits
	13 3	Females Males	Unable to work/study & fully dependent on welfare benefits
Household income^a
	4	Very low
	8	Low
	9	Average
	6	High
	1	Very high
No. of symptoms^b
	14–70 (median 36)
Post Giardiasis d. bowel function
	6	Experienced no bowel complaints (5 females, 1 male)
	1	Male missing
	19	Experienced PI-IBS symptoms (14 females, 5 males)
	16	Physician confirmed diagnosis of PI-IBS (12 females, 4 males)

^aThe household income categories were not assigned numerical values and the participants were asked to choose one subjectively
^bSigns and symptom questionnaire [56]

ISSN: 1471-2458