It's not 'anxiety': gendered bodies and contested illness among COVID-19 'Long-haulers'

Researchers estimate that ten percent of people who have had COVID-19 experience prolonged symptoms. Often referred to as Long COVID, these symptoms, which can include fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, sleep disorders, fevers, gastrointestinal symptoms, anxiety, and depression, can persist for months and can range from mild to incapacitating. In some cases, new symptoms arise sometime after initial infection or evolve over time. While still being defined, these effects are now collectively referred to as Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) in the United States, also known as mild-covid or Long COVID. These patients call themselves "long-haulers" and they are facing doubts from medical providers about their symptoms when seeking services and treatment. Although research studies have indicated women are more likely to be long-haulers, it is, in fact, women who have reported experiencing difficulties negotiating a diagnosis by the medical community, repeatedly being told "it's just anxiety." How does disbelief and delegitimation affect the illness experiences of women with contested illnesses? This article seeks to examine, through the lens of Long COVID, how disbelief and delegitimation affect the illness experiences of women with contested illnesses.