New research says some patients subject to 'medical gaslighting'
An inability to get the support they need from medical professionals is forcing Long COVID sufferers to navigate and self-manage their illness
Despite the increasing recognition of Long COVID as a condition, many patients still face dismissal by medical professionals, misattribution of their symptoms to psychological causes, or simply being left to fend for themselves.
The study describes the response many encounter from professionals as ‘medical gaslighting’, disbelief and dismissiveness.
The research found that the study participants, are using data from smartwatches and symptom-tracking apps to evidence their symptoms to their medical practitioners and advocate for diagnostic tests.
In some cases, participants felt it was only because of their self-tracking data that they had been able to get referrals to tests or specialists and subsequently obtain formal diagnoses and access treatment.
Dr Sazana Jayadeva from the University of Surrey says that there needs to be shift in medical culture
"Practitioners should treat patient generated data as a valuable resource, without this shift, patients with contested illnesses like Long COVID risk remaining stuck in a system where they have to be their own doctor"