Samms and Ponting 2025 - Unequal Access to ME Diagnosis in England

Full Citation:: Samms GL, Ponting CP. Unequal access to diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis in England. BMC Public Health. 2025;25(1):1417. (Samms and Ponting 2025) DOI:: 10.1186/s12889-025-22603-9 PMID:: 40259275 Study Design:: Population database analysis (Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England) Sample Size:: 100,055 diagnosed with ME/CFS (G93.3) Key Findings::

- White individuals ~5x more likely diagnosed than other ethnicities
- Deprivation associated with lower diagnosis rates
- Female:male ratio 3.88:1, peaking at ~6:1 in 4th-5th decades
- Prevalence varies 10x across NHS Integrated Care Boards

Conclusion:: Ethnic minorities, older adults, and deprived populations are disproportionately undiagnosed. Estimated lifetime prevalence up to 0.92% (females) and 0.25% (males). Limitations:: Relies on diagnostic coding; only diagnosed cases captured; England-specific. Certainty:: 0.80

References

Samms, Gemma Louise, and Chris P Ponting. 2025. “Unequal Access to Diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis in England.” BMC Public Health 25 (1): 1417. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22603-9.