Invisible Illness: A History, from Hysteria to Long COVID

Summary

A MOVING CULTURAL HISTORY OF DISABILITY AND A CALL TO CHANGE HOW OUR MEDICAL SYSTEM SUPPORTS THOSE WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS

From lupus to Lyme, invisible illness is often dismissed by everyone but the sufferers. Inspired by her work with long COVID patients, medical anthropologist Emily Mendenhall traces the story of complex chronic conditions to show why medical research and practice fail so many. Mendenhall points out disconnects between the unique, individualized reality of chronic illness and the assumptions of medical providers that chronic diseases have uniform effects for everyone. And while invisible illnesses have historically been associated with white middle-class women, Mendenhall shows how being believed is even more difficult for patients whose social identities and lived experiences may not align with dominant medical thought. Weaving together cultural history with intimate interviews, Invisible Illness upholds the experiences of those living with complex illness to expose the failures of the American healthcare system—and challenge us to do better.

“This book challenges us to address discrimination in clinical care for people with complex chronic conditions like long COVID, questioning why some are believed while others aren’t—a persistent disparity in US healthcare.”—Oni Blackstock, primary care and HIV physician and founder of Health Justice