Exploring the Intersection of Rare Diseases and Mental Health Within the Diagnostic Odyssey: A Narrative Review and Thematic Synthesis.

This is a narrative review, not a systematic review or meta-analysis, so it gives an interpretive account rather than a measured treatment effect. Only 12 articles were included, and some were letters, case reports or editorials, so the evidence base is small and uneven. One author screened articles, which can introduce selection bias. The included studies were from several countries and published over a long period, so service contexts and current practice differ. Rare diseases are very numerous, and the review may reflect more well-known conditions rather than all rare diseases. Some paediatric accounts may have been shaped by caregiver perspectives, even though caregiver-only studies were excluded. Because only academic databases were searched, lived-experience writings outside academic publishing may have been missed.

The authors report nothing to report and declare no conflicts of interest.

Do not read this review as proof that a specific communication, coordination or mental-health intervention improves outcomes. It synthesises patient accounts and themes, not measured treatment effects.