Study reveals gender differences in autoimmune disease diagnosis

A new study published in the journal The Lancet eClinicalMedicine on October 12 highlights gender disparities in the misdiagnosis of autoimmune diseases. The research found that women are more likely than men to be incorrectly diagnosed with psychosomatic conditions or mental health disorders when the cause of their symptoms is unclear.

Autoimmune diseases affect more women

According to Inserm, it is estimated that 5 to 10 percent of the global population is affected by autoimmune diseases, with 80 percent of these cases occurring in women. This suggests that women are disproportionately impacted by these conditions, which occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues.

Women face higher risk of psychiatric misdiagnosis

The study found that, considering factors such as age, type of disease, continent, and household financial level, women had a 46 percent higher risk of being subjected to a psychiatric misdiagnosis and a 74 percent greater likelihood of being incorrectly given a psychosomatic diagnosis compared to men. This indicates a significant gender gap in how symptoms are interpreted and diagnosed.

Men are more likely to be misdiagnosed with physical conditions

Conversely, cases of misdiagnosis where a "physical" disease was identified were slightly higher in men than in women. This suggests that while women are more likely to be misdiagnosed with mental health issues, men may face different challenges in receiving accurate diagnoses for their conditions.