Women ‘more likely to be told autoimmune conditions are psychological’
Cambridge University study suggests stark gender divide in misdiagnosis, with women also waiting longer for treatment
TL;DR
- Women with autoimmune conditions are up to 74% more likely than men to be told their symptoms are psychological or psychosomatic.
- Autoimmune conditions affect about one in 10 people globally and can cause a range of health issues.
- The study, from the University of Cambridge and University of East Anglia, included over 6,600 people, mostly women from the UK.
- Women reported longer waits for diagnosis, with the most common time frame being one to two years, compared to less than three months for men.
- 43% of women reported being told their condition was due to a psychiatric cause, compared to 33% of men.
- 34% of women reported symptoms misdiagnosed as psychosomatic, versus 22% of men.
- Researchers suggest historical biases may persist, making women appear less credible reporters of symptoms than men.