Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://ahro.austin.org.au/austinjspui/handle/1/35462
Title: The challenges of living with Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks (DSCATT) - A qualitative study.
Austin Authors: Oliver, Georgina;Yap, Valerie M Z;Chalder, Trudie;Oliver, Victoria L;Gibney, Katherine B;Dharan, Anita ;Wilson, Sarah J;Kanaan, Richard A A 
Affiliation: Psychiatry (University of Melbourne)
Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Infectious Diseases
Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Department of Medicine, Epilepsy Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia.
Issue Date: Aug-2024
Date: 2024
Publication information: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 2024-08; 48(4)
Abstract: We sought to explore the lived experience of people with Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks (DSCATT) to inform the development of a potential treatment intervention. We conducted one-to-one in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 13 people living in Australia affected by DSCATT. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Although participants attributed the origin of their illness to tick bites, not all were adamant they had Lyme disease. Negative experiences in conventional healthcare were marked and were reported to exacerbate the impact of the illness and affect mental health. Further, these negative experiences propelled participants to seek unapproved treatments (by Australian standards). The desire for the illness to be acknowledged and causative agents identified was pronounced among the participant group. Individuals with DSCATT experience significant challenges amid a contentious healthcare landscape surrounding chronic symptoms attributed to ticks in Australia. Our findings suggest the need for empathetic, supportiveĀ and patient-centred treatments for this cohort. DSCATT results in a considerable burden across multiple domains for those affected. Negative experiences with healthcare exacerbate the suffering of people with DSCATT in Australia. New approaches that acknowledge the illness experience of people with DSCATT, alongside evidence-based treatments that encompass biopsychosocial models of care, are needed to tackle this debilitating condition.
URI: https://ahro.austin.org.au/austinjspui/handle/1/35462
DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100163
ORCID: 
Journal: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Start page: 100163
PubMed URL: 38945055
ISSN: 1753-6405
Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Australian Lyme disease
DSCATT
Lyme-like illness
patient experience
qualitative research
thematic analysis
Tick Bites/psychology
Appears in Collections:Journal articles

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