Prevalence of Fibromyalgia in Israel

The prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome in the Israeli population is of importance fro planning resource allocation of medical expenditure as well as for identifying demographic and ethnic differences of this unique population compared with other western samples. In the current study the investigators aim at estimating the prevalence of fibromyalgia in this population. For this purpose a two - stage process will be used. First, a population survey will be conducted by telephone, screening for widespread pain and fatigue in the general population. This survey will use the London Fibromyalgia Epidemiology Study Screening Questionnaire. Second, a sample of patients attending the rheumatology clinic will be surveyed with this tool and will be examined in order to determine the actual proportion of patients fulfilling ACR criteria for fibromyalgia. This will enable us to calculate the positive predictive value of the London Fibromyalgia Epidemiology Study Screening Questionnaire in our population and hence to calculate the prevalence of fibromyalgia in the population.