Patient Management and Health Outcomes due to Late or Misdiagnosis of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is one of the most common vector-borne illnesses in the United States. Unfortunately, it is also very commonly misdiagnosed, thus preventing patients from receiving proper and timely treatment. It has been shown that majority of patients diagnosed with Lyme Disease are incorrectly diagnosed more than three quarters of the time. When Lyme disease is not properly diagnosed, it can cause long term health issues such as chronic Lyme disease. In this study, the effects of the misdiagnosis and late diagnosis of Lyme disease on overall patient management of the disease were explored using an online survey. Questions from the survey related to age, gender, residential location, quality of life ratings, self-assessed health status and current management practices. Fourteen people responded to the survey and results identified differences in management techniques among participants and how it affects their overall quality of life. As a result, patients reported having to self-prescribe and experiment with techniques to best manage their pain. Recommendations include educating physicians and the public on all forms of symptoms and management techniques related to Lyme disease as well as the importance of early detection of Lyme disease.