WellTheory Findings Highlight Workplace Impact, Insurance Dependency, and Financial Strain Among Women with Autoimmune Disease

WellTheory, the leading whole-person care platform for autoimmune disease, today released new findings from a national survey examining the workplace impact of autoimmune disease on women. Conducted in partnership with the Autoimmune Association, a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing autoimmune awareness, the survey found that 70 percent of working women diagnosed with an autoimmune condition report that their disease has limited their career potential.

Released during Autoimmune Awareness Month, the findings highlight the significant impact these conditions have on women’s professional growth and financial stability, signaling an urgent need for modern care models built around how women live and work.

Interrupted Careers

68 percent of women report experiencing negative effects at work since their diagnosis. Among them:

• 39 percent have reduced their hours
• 28 percent have switched to less demanding roles
• 14 percent have changed careers
• 13 percent have turned down a promotion
• 11 percent have left the workforce altogether

The findings suggest that these career decisions are often shaped by the realities of symptom management and healthcare access.

“Autoimmune diseases disproportionately affect women—about 80% of patients are female,” said Molly Murray, Autoimmune Association president and CEO. “Many are balancing demanding careers with chronic pain, fatigue, and complex medical care. The Autoimmune Association is working to expand access to specialized autoimmune care and raise awareness of the workplace challenges patients face so women don’t have to choose between their health and their professional future.”

Insurance Dependency and Financial Strain

The survey shows a growing reliance on employer-based benefits, underscoring broader gaps in the U.S. healthcare system. Two-thirds of working women with an autoimmune condition have stayed in a job because they needed health insurance, while 76 percent report experiencing financial strain due to their condition — also reflecting the hidden costs of chronic illness.

Symptom Interference in the Workplace

Beyond long-term career decisions, symptoms are affecting day-to-day performance, with 61 percent saying their autoimmune symptoms interfere with their ability to function at work every day or most days. Among those surveyed:

• 61 percent report pain interfering with work
• 54 percent report fatigue
• 26 percent report brain fog

Regardless of symptom interference, many women choose to limit what they share at work. While 39 percent have fully disclosed their diagnosis to their employer or manager, 61 percent have not. For those who haven’t fully disclosed:

• 41 percent say they didn’t believe disclosure would help
• 32 percent cite fear of being judged
• 28 percent fear being passed over for opportunities

Additionally, while 59 percent report needing a workplace accommodation, 36 percent either did not receive one or did not request one.

Women Are Exiting the Workforce

This data suggests that autoimmune disease is an overlooked factor shaping women’s workforce participation. More than 1 in 3 have reduced their hours and 11 percent reported exiting the workforce entirely due to an autoimmune condition — showing the loss of talent at a time when many industries are already struggling to retain mid-career women.

Addressing the Workplace Impact

With autoimmune diagnoses rising, employers are faced with an increasingly important challenge to address chronic care delivery across their workforce. Autoimmune diseases often require longitudinal, personalized care, yet many individuals are left navigating fragmented systems that prioritize acute intervention over sustained support.

“When women receive consistent, specialized autoimmune care, they don’t have to sacrifice their careers for their health,” said Ellen Rudolph, CEO and Co-Founder of WellTheory. “We work alongside employers to provide that support, helping women manage chronic symptoms while staying on their chosen professional paths.”

Through partnerships with Fortune 100 and 500 employers, WellTheory supports women managing autoimmune disease while remaining active in the workforce. Its evidence-based care model provides members with ongoing guidance from clinicians and personalized support designed to help reduce symptom disruptions at work. Outcomes show improvements in health alongside lower costs — evidence that specialized autoimmune support can help women stay healthier and more engaged in their careers.

Methodology

WellTheory’s Women in the Workplace Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 250 U.S. working women diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, between February 11th and February 18th, 2026, using an email invitation and an online survey. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 6.2 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

About Autoimmune Association:

The Autoimmune Association is the leading national nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of the more than 50 million Americans living with autoimmune disease. Founded in 1991, the organization works to drive research, shape policy, and advance awareness across more than 140 distinct autoimmune conditions. The Autoimmune Association leads the fight against autoimmune disease by advocating and collaborating to improve healthcare, advance research, and empower the community through every step of the journey. For more information, visit www.autoimmune.org.

About WellTheory:

WellTheory is a virtual care platform reversing the autoimmune epidemic by filling the gaps left behind in traditional healthcare. WellTheory offers a research-backed proprietary program that addresses the root cause of autoimmunity and treats the whole person with the aim to reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, and lower costs. WellTheory’s platform centers around evidence-based, high-touch care led by an interdisciplinary team of autoimmune experts, including licensed registered dietitians and board-certified health coaches. It’s an anti-symptom-masking model that goes beyond the pill, built by autoimmune patients and validated by decades of clinical research.

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