🧡 It's #CoeliacAwarenessMonth:
coeliac disease affects around 1-in-100 people UK-wide whereas just 36% medically diagnosed, it is vital that they don't consume gluten for health-reasons. Currently, an approximate 500,000 more people experience symptoms. Additionally, Zingone, West & Crooks's research reflects 80% lower levels of identification in most deprived areas, suggesting social determinants of health driving inequalities.
However, misdiagnosis remains rife e.g. 1/4th of prospective patients identified IBS where we know NICE guidelines recommend to test for coeliac disease beforehand – awareness around conditions currently affecting a hugely statistically significant number of people must immediately improve! I'm hugely thankful to Coeliac UK's excellent efforts, lobbying on behalf of people going through this. Let's help them get their treatment! Great to talk.
Their recent recommendations:
- Welsh Government developing training programmes providing better understanding at all levels of healthcare;
- adopting a single coeliac disease pathway for all Health Boards within Wales;
- promote primary care contributions to this by encouraging earlier diagnosis;
- and auditing blood tests to standardise against a range of other diagnostic pathways like endoscopy & biopsy, at a local level.
#ItIsCoeliacDisease
