Women with autoimmune diseases are more likely than men to have their symptoms blamed on their mental health, a new study found. The Guardian and The Independent reported the results on Tuesday. Women also wait longer to get the right diagnosis, the study found.

Autoimmune diseases happen when the immune system attacks the body's own healthy tissue. They affect about one in 10 people around the world and can cause tiredness, muscle pain and rashes, the Guardian reported. Because the symptoms are common, the diseases can be hard to spot.

The study was led by two universities in England, Cambridge and East Anglia. It asked more than 6,600 people with these diseases about their care. Most of them were women who live in the UK, The Independent reported.

The results showed a clear gap. About 43% of women said a doctor told them their illness had a mental health cause. About a third of men said the same. And 34% of women said their symptoms had been wrongly called psychosomatic, meaning caused by stress or worry, compared with 22% of men, The Independent said.

Among the women, the most common type was thyroid disease, such as Hashimoto's or Graves'. Among men, rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis were most common.

Dr. Melanie Sloan, the lead author, said the harm from a wrong diagnosis "can be very long lasting," hurting women's trust in doctors and their self-esteem, the Guardian reported. The researchers said both men and women face problems, but women "may face additional disadvantages," The Independent reported.

The findings come from a survey of patients, not from a review of their medical records.

What we know: Women in the survey were more often told their symptoms were psychological, and they waited longer for a diagnosis.
What we don't: How much of the gap would show up in medical records, since the study relied on patient reports.