Gender bias causes diagnostic delays for women with autoimmune diseases

An international study published in The Lancet eClinicalMedicine has revealed significant gender disparities in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. Research conducted by the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia, involving over 6,600 patients, found that women face much longer delays and higher rates of misdiagnosis compared to men.

Specifically, women are approximately 46% more likely to receive an incorrect psychiatric diagnosis and 74% more likely to have their symptoms attributed to psychosomatic causes. While many men receive a diagnosis within three months of symptom onset, women frequently wait between one and two years. Common conditions cited include lupus, multiple sclerosis, and thyroid diseases, which disproportionately affect women.

Researchers suggest these disparities may stem from historical gender biases in medicine, where women’s physical symptoms—such as fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbances—are more readily dismissed as emotional or psychological issues. The study highlights the need for clinicians to listen more closely to patients to avoid the long-term emotional and physical consequences of delayed treatment.