Background

A significantly large number of people the world over is affected by autoimmune diseases, a broad set of illnesses brought on when the immune system inadvertently targets healthy cells in the body. Women are more frequently impacted than males by autoimmune disorders with speculated reasons ranging from hereditary to evolutionary. Even though relatively common, autoimmune disorders are still quite poorly understood, and a lot of patients struggle to get prompt and accurate diagnoses, access to the right medical resources, and supportive/therapy groups. The symptoms of autoimmune disorders may overlap with those of other illnesses, along with the challenge of accurately describing the symptoms making it challenging for medical professionals to determine the underlying causes. Delayed diagnosis often result in further health issues and a lower quality of life that remain invisible on the surface.

Even after diagnosis, people with autoimmune disorders still struggle to get appropriate treatment. Numerous autoimmune disorders are incurable, thus treatment options only focus on symptom management and delaying the onset of any new symptom. However, not all patients are able to afford the required care due to the high cost of diagnosis/treatments, have access to the best health care professionals/facilities and possible insurance coverage limitations. In order to maintain their health and quality of life, patients may need continuous management and assistance for certain chronic disorders, they may feel alone and unsupported, which may be further detrimental to their physical and mental health. In addition, the public has little knowledge of and understanding of autoimmune illnesses, even those who have heard of some of the diseases may not completely comprehend the effects they can have on people and their families. This ignorance can result in stigmatization, discrimination, and a lack of support for advocacy and research projects.