Women with autoimmune conditions more likely to have symptoms dismissed as psychological

Women with autoimmune conditions were more likely than men to have their symptoms dismissed as psychological or psychosomatic, new research has revealed.

The findings suggested that women face much longer waits for a diagnosis and treatment.

More than 6,600 people with autoimmune conditions took part in the study. Most participants were women, and most were from the UK.

Women reported longer waits between the onset of symptoms and receiving a diagnosis, as well as more healthcare consultations than men.

Lead author Melanie Sloan said: “The damage caused to women by these types of misdiagnosis can be very long lasting in terms of trusting doctors and their own self-esteem.”

The research, by the University of Cambridge and University of East Anglia, examined differences in how autoimmune symptoms were handled in men and women.

Autoimmune conditions occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body. Symptoms can include fatigue, muscle pain and rashes.

Researchers found that 43 per cent of women reported being told their condition was caused by a psychiatric issue, compared with 33 per cent of men.

A psychosomatic misdiagnosis, where symptoms were considered to be triggered or worsened by stress or anxiety, was reported by 34 per cent of women and 22 per cent of men.

After accounting for age, disease group, continent and household finances, women were 46 per cent more likely than men to report a psychiatric misdiagnosis and 74 per cent more likely to report a psychosomatic misdiagnosis.

The most frequently reported time to diagnosis was less than three months for men, compared with one to two years for women.

Sloan said some women had to wait years for a diagnosis, delaying treatment.

Almost a quarter of the women surveyed had autoimmune thyroid disease, which can cause the thyroid gland to become underactive or overactive.

One in seven women had systemic lupus, an autoimmune condition that can cause tiredness, rashes and muscle pain.

The most common conditions among male participants were rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis and antiphospholipid syndrome.