For those with long COVID, it must be frustrating to endure lingering symptoms months after their initial illness. What’s even more frustrating is to have those symptoms dismissed or not taken seriously by health-care providers.

Today in The Conversation Canada, Simran Purewal, Kaylee Byers, Kayli Jamieson and Neda Zolfaghari of Simon Fraser University explore how people with long COVID seek treatment and information about their condition. They found that many COVID long-haulers face medical gaslighting: health-care providers not taking them seriously, dismissing their symptoms or even blaming them on the patient.

Medical gaslighting isn’t just a barrier to treatment. “This dismissal can erode trust in the health-care system and can also lead to stigma and shame.”

Also today:

All the best, 

Patricia Nicholson

Health + Medicine Editor
Long COVID patients face many barriers, the first of which is having their illness minimized or disregarded by others. (Freepik)

People with long COVID continue to experience medical gaslighting more than 3 years into the pandemic

Simran Purewal, Simon Fraser University; Kaylee Byers, Simon Fraser University; Kayli Jamieson, Simon Fraser University; Neda Zolfaghari, Simon Fraser University

People with long COVID report that their symptoms are dismissed or not treated seriously by health-care providers. This medical gaslighting not only prevents treatment but can cause stigma and shame.
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