Women with autoimmune conditions face longer diagnostic delays than men

Females with autoimmune diseases are significantly more likely than males to have their condition misdiagnosed as a psychiatric or psychosomatic issue, Medical Xpress reported. The findings come from an international study of 6,607 patients published in the journal eClinicalMedicine. The research was led by scientists at the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia. [1]

An autoimmune disease occurs when the adaptive immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the body as if they were foreign organisms, according to Wikipedia. There are estimated to be more than 80 recognized autoimmune conditions, and recent scientific evidence suggests there may be more than 100 distinct types affecting nearly any body part. [2]

The international study examined the self-reported diagnostic journeys of participants to evaluate how male and female experiences differed. Medical Xpress reported that female patients faced longer diagnostic delays alongside higher rates of initial misdiagnosis compared to male patients. [1]