Association Between Perceived Stress and Fatigue Severity in Patients With Chronic Illnesses

Stress and fatigue are two of the most important contributing factors to the declining physical and mental well-being of patients suffering from chronic illnesses. This research aims to identify the direct relationship between stress and fatigue to improve treatment guidelines and patient care.

This observational study was conducted from February to April 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan. The study included adults over 18 years of age, individuals who provided consent, and those diagnosed with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, or cancer. A questionnaire was used to collect data comprising the Perceived Stress Scale and Fatigue Severity Scale. Analysis was performed through IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2018; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).

Around 181 participants (47%) were male, 165 (43%) were female, and 40 individuals (10%) preferred not to disclose their gender. The largest age group was 26-35 years, with 240 individuals (62%), followed by 69 participants (18%) aged 36-45 years. The most commonly reported condition was hypertension, affecting 125 individuals (32%), followed by cardiovascular disease in 114 participants (29%) and diabetes in 57 (15%). A statistically significant moderate positive correlation between stress and fatigue (r = 0.481, p < 0.01) was obtained.

A strong positive correlation exists between perceived stress and fatigue severity among individuals with chronic diseases, influenced by factors like sleep duration and time since diagnosis.