News | Australian Endometriosis Report: Hospitalization Rate Doubles Among Young Women
A report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimates that about 14% of women aged 44 to 49 have endometriosis. It also shows that the hospitalization rate for endometriosis among women aged 20 to 24 doubled over the past decade.
Endometriosis is a chronic, progressive condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows elsewhere in the body, causing inflammation and scarring. In severe cases, pelvic organs may adhere to one another, causing intense pain. Symptoms can include heavy periods, bleeding between periods, abdominal bloating and pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and reduced fertility. These symptoms often affect work, education, and participation in social activities.
AIHW spokesperson Katherine Faulks said, “Endometriosis has long been an overlooked condition, with profound effects on women's fertility and quality of life.”
What is behind the rising prevalence?
University of Queensland researchers used data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health to analyze prevalence in two age groups: women born from 1973 to 1978 and those born from 1989 to 1995. The data show that women are being diagnosed with endometriosis at younger ages.
By age 31, 9.2% of women born from 1989 to 1995 had been diagnosed, compared with 6.9% of those born from 1973 to 1978. Faulks said the increase may reflect greater awareness among the public and healthcare professionals, leading to more diagnoses.
Diagnostic delays and hospitalization data
Diagnosing and managing endometriosis is complex, with an average delay of 6 to 8 years from symptom onset to diagnosis. In 2021–2022, Australia recorded 40,500 endometriosis-related hospitalizations, making the condition the 20th leading cause of hospitalization among women aged 15 to 44. The hospitalization rate rose by 24% over the past decade.
The increase was particularly marked among women aged 20 to 24, rising from 330 per 100,000 women in 2011–2012 to 660 in 2021–2022.
The report also found that endometriosis-related hospitalizations were more likely to be paid through private health insurance than hospitalizations among women overall, while self-funded admissions were twice as likely as for other hospitalizations.
Future research
The report noted lower endometriosis hospitalization rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and women living in low-income or remote areas. It emphasized the need for more research on the impact of endometriosis in priority populations, particularly those with limited access to healthcare.
Endometriosis can also affect transgender men, nonbinary people, and gender-diverse people who were assigned female at birth. The report uses terminology from its data sources to reflect the available data.
News | Australian Endometriosis Report: Hospitalization Rate Doubles Among Young Women
News | Australian Endometriosis Report: Hospitalization Rate Doubles Among Young Women
A report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimates that about 14% of women aged 44 to 49 have endometriosis. It also shows that the hospitalization rate for endometriosis among women aged 20 to 24 doubled over the past decade.
Endometriosis is a chronic, progressive condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows elsewhere in the body, causing inflammation and scarring. In severe cases, pelvic organs may adhere to one another, causing intense pain. Symptoms can include heavy periods, bleeding between periods, abdominal bloating and pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and reduced fertility. These symptoms often affect work, education, and participation in social activities.
AIHW spokesperson Katherine Faulks said, “Endometriosis has long been an overlooked condition, with profound effects on women's fertility and quality of life.”
What is behind the rising prevalence?
University of Queensland researchers used data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health to analyze prevalence in two age groups: women born from 1973 to 1978 and those born from 1989 to 1995. The data show that women are being diagnosed with endometriosis at younger ages.
By age 31, 9.2% of women born from 1989 to 1995 had been diagnosed, compared with 6.9% of those born from 1973 to 1978. Faulks said the increase may reflect greater awareness among the public and healthcare professionals, leading to more diagnoses.
Diagnostic delays and hospitalization data
Diagnosing and managing endometriosis is complex, with an average delay of 6 to 8 years from symptom onset to diagnosis. In 2021–2022, Australia recorded 40,500 endometriosis-related hospitalizations, making the condition the 20th leading cause of hospitalization among women aged 15 to 44. The hospitalization rate rose by 24% over the past decade.
The increase was particularly marked among women aged 20 to 24, rising from 330 per 100,000 women in 2011–2012 to 660 in 2021–2022.
The report also found that endometriosis-related hospitalizations were more likely to be paid through private health insurance than hospitalizations among women overall, while self-funded admissions were twice as likely as for other hospitalizations.
Future research
The report noted lower endometriosis hospitalization rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and women living in low-income or remote areas. It emphasized the need for more research on the impact of endometriosis in priority populations, particularly those with limited access to healthcare.
Endometriosis can also affect transgender men, nonbinary people, and gender-diverse people who were assigned female at birth. The report uses terminology from its data sources to reflect the available data.
Source:
Compiled from online sources