Patients living with "long Covid" faced "dismissal" and "gaslighting" from medical professionals, research has found.
A study by the University of Surrey found participants were relying on data self-gathered from smart watches and phones to track symptoms and advocate for diagnostic tests.
A total of 30 participants, aged between 25 and 62, were recruited from three online long Covid support groups and interviewed about their experiences living with the condition and using self-monitoring practices to track their symptoms.
Dr Jayadeva, who co-authored the study, added: "We found that people with long Covid are often led to fend for themselves in a system that isn't adequately informed about their condition and doesn't offer them appropriate medical support."
Fellows heard that 12 participants had straightforward experiences of obtaining a diagnosis of long Covid based on their symptoms, but others had struggled, "facing gatekeeping from the medical practitioners they consulted".
