The online assessment tool is a key initiative of the Charity’s new campaign, ‘is it coeliac disease?’, which is launching in Coeliac UK’s Awareness Week (May 11th – 17th) and backed by the Charity’s new patron, actress Caroline Quentin, a sufferer of coeliac disease.
The two year campaign will highlight the most common symptoms of coeliac disease and prompt people experiencing these symptoms to ask themselves the question.
Coeliac disease is a serious illness where the body’s immune system reacts to gluten found in food, making the body attack itself.
One in 100 people in the UK has coeliac disease. However, current statistics show only 24% of those with the condition are diagnosed, leaving an estimated half a million people in the UK undiagnosed.
Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Coeliac UK, said: “With half a million people living with undiagnosed coeliac disease we must take radical action to turn around this horrendous situation.
“We hope that giving people direct access to an online assessment tool will put those who are suffering with the symptoms of undiagnosed coeliac disease on a pathway to diagnosis and avoid potentially life threatening long term health complications.
“As well as help reduce the unacceptable length of time to gain a diagnosis which is currently, on average, 13 years.”
The dedicated website will go live on May 11th and will host the new assessment questionnaire and provide detailed information about coeliac disease and outline the campaign activities.