Tamara Thomas

AZUHT-PRODUCTIONwarmup

A study published in the journal Healthcare found that testing positive for Lyme disease did not convince doctors that the patient had the disease.
Despite being a recognized public health threat in the U.S. and mandatorily reported to the CDC, Lyme disease is frequently misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, often leading to chronic, systemic health issues. This diagnostic challenge, coupled with significant controversy surrounding the disease, has resulted in medical gaslighting for many patients.
For this study, Dr. Jennifer L. Fagen, an associate professor of sociology at Lamar University, illuminates the challenges patients face with Lyme disease.
The study included 986 patients from 28 different countries, with a majority (474) living in the US. The US sample included individuals from all US states except Alaska, Alaska, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The majority of the total population was female (835, 85%) and white (904, 92%).Of the 474 US respondents, 90% (429) indicated whether they were diagnosed with Lyme disease via blood tests.
The study revealed that doctors were no more likely to believe that a patient with a positive blood test had Lyme disease than a patient who did not obtain a blood test.
“What is most interesting—and troubling—is that proof of an ongoing Lyme disease infection via bloodwork would seem to necessarily situate it outside the parameters of a contested illness. However, according to our data, many with positive blood tests still faced medical gaslighting as if they indeed had a contested illness,” the authors wrote.
Furthermore, the researchers found that even the classic ‘bullseye rash’ failed to convince many doctors (n=527) that a patient had an active Lyme infection. This finding was particularly pronounced in the U.S., where doctors were statistically less likely to confirm a Lyme disease diagnosis, even in patients with the characteristic rash.
However, the researchers observed that living in a Lyme-endemic (LE) state seems to influence patients seeking testing and treatment. For example, doctors in LE states were more likely to give patients a go-ahead for Lyme disease tests (49%) than doctors in non-LE states (35%). In addition, they were more likely to believe a positive test result (28%) than doctors in non-LE states (18%).
“Interactions with doctors who doubt the lived experiences of patients with Lyme disease have health implications (e.g., delayed treatment can lead to chronicity) and psychological ramifications,” the authors wrote.
&nbsp;
Source: <a href="https://www.lamar.edu/news-and-events/news/2024/03/study-on-medical-gaslighting-and-lyme-disease-captures-global-attention.html">Lamar.edu</a>
Journal: <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10778834/">Healthcare</a>

Black Women with Breast Cancer Less Likely to Undergo Preventive Mastectomy, Study Finds

Breast Cancer Disparities

Study Finds Grief Can Speed Up Your Age

Mental Health

Lyme Disease Patients Dismissed Regardless of Test Results, Study Finds

Infectious Diseases

Latest News

Lyme disease is frequently misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, often leading to chronic, systemic health issues.

About Us

Editorial Policy

Contributors & Partners

eNewsletters

Contact Us

Work With Us

Advertising

GU Oncology Now

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

DocWire News

MashupMD

Food Allergy Roundtable Discussions

Autoimmune Disease

Allergy

Blood Cancers

— Multiple Myeloma

Breast Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Lung Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Cancer

Diabetes

Heart Failure

Heart Disease Prevention

Heart Health

HIV Roundtable Discussions

COVID-19

Asthma

COPD

Pulmonology

Digital Health

Workforce News

Public Health

Dermatology

Gastroenterology

Kidney Disease

Neurology

— Alzheimer’s Disease

Obesity

Pediatrics

Sickle Cell Disease

Eye Disease

Video Insights

More

Gynecologic Cancer

Heart Disease in Women

Menopause

Reproductive Health

Women’s Neurology

Well Woman Today

Roundtables

Podcasts

Conferences

Viewpoints

Career Center

Subscribe