Women ‘more likely to be told autoimmune conditions are psychological’
Summary
A study shows women with autoimmune diseases are more likely than men to be told their symptoms are psychological or caused by stress. Women also wait longer to get a correct diagnosis and treatment for their conditions.Key Facts
- Women have up to a 74% higher chance than men of being told their symptoms are psychosomatic (caused by stress or anxiety).
- Women are 46% more likely than men to get a psychiatric misdiagnosis.
- About 43% of women reported being told their symptoms had a psychiatric cause, compared to 33% of men.
- Women wait longer for an autoimmune diagnosis, often one to two years, while men usually get diagnosed within three months.
- The study involved more than 6,600 patients, mostly women from the UK.
- Common autoimmune diseases in women include thyroid diseases like Hashimoto’s and Graves’, and systemic lupus.
- The immune system attacks the body by mistake in autoimmune diseases, causing symptoms like fatigue, rashes, and muscle pain.
- Researchers suggest historical biases in medicine may contribute to women’s symptoms being taken less seriously.
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