Dorothy K Leland

Pat Smith was a pioneering patient advocate and fierce force for truth in the #Lyme disease community. She will be greatly missed. Her mission carries on with vigorous momentum as patient voices are at last being heard & federal funding is finally increasing. Robust science is helping validate what patients and advocates, such as Pat, have known for decades. Pat's dedicated advocacy has made meaningful inroads in progress towards better understanding of the complexities of Lyme infection-associated chronic illness & the vital need for improved patient care. Rest in peace & power, Pat. We will continue your important work. lymediseaseassociation.org/n… @LymeDiseaseLDA @lyme_action @Lymenews @BayAreaLyme @LymeAlliance

Illness invalidation by medical professionals is a common yet understudied problem in #Lyme infection associated chronic illness that a new Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine study helps quantify. The @HopkinsMedicine study finds that patients with post-treatment #Lyme disease (PTLD), particularly women and younger patients, are prone to illness invalidation from medical professionals. Patients who reported the highest levels of invalidation were also found to have higher symptom severity, lower quality of life, and lower trust in physicians. Improved physician education is needed on the potential negative impact of illness invalidation on patient health outcomes. Reducing illness invalidation within patient-practitioner encounters could positively affect illness burden and quality of life for Lyme disease patients. rdcu.be/dRzJF @SciReports