Characterization, Treatment, and Long-term Follow-up of Fatigued Patients in Primary Care

The overarching purpose of this project is to further the understanding of fatigue as a symptom in primary care patients, and to build evidence for a highly accessible treatment targeting fatigue that can be readily implemented in primary care clinics. Data will be collected within a randomized controlled superiority trial (RCT; N = 500). The primary aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel cognitive behavioral therapy (iFAS: Internet-delivered treatment of Fatigue Across Syndromes) for fatigued patients as compared to care as usual (CAU). Primary outcome will be change in fatigue severity (as measured by the Checklist Individual Strengths, fatigue subscale) pre- to post-treatment (6 months), with long-term controlled follow-up after 12 months. A registry-based follow-up will be conducted up to 60 months post baseline. Moderators and mechanisms of treatment effect will be investigated with the aim to identify potential subgroups of fatigued individuals across and within diagnostic categories that may respond differently to treatment. Lastly, a health economic evaluation of long-term treatment effects will be conducted, which incorporates much needed detailed mapping of care as usual for fatigued patients.