Historically, medical conditions that disproportionally affect women have falsely been attributed to psychological causes, often referred to with euphemism such as "biopsychological". Yet I am shocked to read this about #longcovid in 2020! 1/
link.springer.com/article/10.100…
link.springer.com/article/10.100…
In addition to reflecting implicit sexism and being unwarranted by the data, such conclusions
- gaslight patients to believe it is "all in their head"
- direct research away from the search for treatable biological causes
- bias medical practitioners in their assessment
2/
- gaslight patients to believe it is "all in their head"
- direct research away from the search for treatable biological causes
- bias medical practitioners in their assessment
2/
Finally, they propagate circular and unfalsifiable "biopsychological" disease models. (a) If no evidence for biological abnormalities can be observed with currently available techniques, a disease is attributed to psychological causes. 3/
(b) When new studies are published that do show biological abnormalities, these are disregarded as unsurprising as they are likely caused by psychological factors.
Needless to say, such theories are unfalsifiable and thus non-scientific. 4/
Needless to say, such theories are unfalsifiable and thus non-scientific. 4/
Luckily, medicine has shifted rapidly away from this perspective over the past years, potentiated by the pandemic and the millions of C-19 long haulers. As Marley put it, "You can fool some people some times, but you cant fool all the people all the time." Let's move on. /5
And of course I meant 2021, time flies 😅
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