Women wait longer than men to have their pain diagnosed with most enduring agonising 11 month-long delay, survey finds
WOMEN are waiting longer than men for pain to be diagnosed – with less than half receiving a diagnosis within 11 months.
In contrast, 66 per cent of men received a diagnosis for their pain in the same timeframe.
Additionally, more women than men (14 per cent vs nine per cent) still do not have a diagnosis for their pain after 12 months or longer, the study of more than 5,000 UK adults has shown.
Three in 10 of these women worryingly feel it took so long to get an answer because the healthcare professional did not take the pain seriously or even dismissed it.
But just 18 per cent of men share these concerns.
The research was commissioned by Nurofen to mark the launch of its tool which helps people talk about their pain with confidence with a healthcare professional.
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Chloe Elliot, who waited nine years to get a diagnosis for endometriosis, said: “I believe if I'd have said how I was feeling to my doctor, but I was a different gender, things would have been taken a lot more seriously.
“It’s why I want to urge other women to keep fighting - remember you're not crazy, you're not insane, your pain is real.
“You know your body better than anybody else. Keep fighting. Push for a diagnosis when you know something isn’t right.”
It also emerged 45 per cent of women who feel uncomfortable talking about their pain are worried they will be judged as a moaner, compared to just 35 per cent of men.
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So, it’s not surprising 23 per cent of women haven't even tried to seek a diagnosis for the pain they experience, compared to just 13 per cent of men.
The research also shows the ‘gender pain gap’ has widened a year on since the pain relief brand’s first Gender Pain Gap Index Report, which highlights that more needs to be done to tackle unconscious gender bias in healthcare.
Last year’s data showed 56 per cent of women felt their pain was ignored or dismissed compared to 49 per cent of men – a gap of seven per cent.
While the number of women who feel this way has dropped to 49 per cent this year, just 38 per cent of men feel this way, widening the gap to 11 per cent.
Dr Marieke Bigg, sociologist and author of This Won’t Hurt: How Medicine Fails Women, said: “It’s concerning to see that the gender pain gap has increased.
“Whether this means women are becoming more vocal about the problems they face, or whether medical sexism has intensified, we need to respond to this evidence and make changes to healthcare provision.
“Unfortunately, women’s pain is often dismissed. Healthcare professionals continually misattribute women’s symptoms to stress or ‘hormones’, while men are more likely to be sent for a physical check – even when complaining of the same type of pain.
“Over time, this has led to women’s pain being overlooked, resulting in a gender pain gap.
“Women are waiting longer to get a diagnosis for their pain, and do not feel empowered to push for the support they need – this is unacceptable.
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“With initiatives like Nurofen’s Gender Pain Gap Index Report, we’re seeing more recognition of the issue.
“But we are still a long way from closing the gap. Women need to start feeling listened to and supported in getting the help they need.”
