‘I still can’t forget those words’: mixed methods study of the persisting impact on patients reporting psychosomatic and psychiatric misdiagnoses
A research team in Cambridge conducted a study to better understand the lasting effects of patient-reported psychosomatic and psychiatric misdiagnosis on individuals with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs).
Vasculitis is a rare condition that can be challenging to diagnose. Its symptoms often overlap with those of other autoimmune diseases or even cancer, yet many patients are frequently told their symptoms are psychosomatic. This misattribution can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment, affecting a patient’s prognosis. But what impact does it have on their mental health and their trust in healthcare professionals? This study sought to explore these critical questions.
We extend our gratitude to Dr. Melanie Sloan and her team for their ongoing efforts to investigate mental health and healthcare inequalities in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases like vasculitis.
Follow the link for the published paper:
‘I still can’t forget those words’: mixed methods study of the persisting impact on patients reporting psychosomatic and psychiatric misdiagnoses. https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/advance-article/doi/10.1093/rheumatology/keaf115/8042899