News | Healthcare Use Rises Years Before an Endometriosis Diagnosis
A study found that women had substantially more contact with the healthcare system for years before an endometriosis diagnosis than women without the chronic condition. The findings highlight common diagnostic delays and offer insight into shortening the path to diagnosis and treatment.
Endometriosis is a chronic and often severely painful condition affecting women. Before diagnosis, affected women had more frequent contact with general practitioners, private gynecologists, and hospital services.
Researchers analyzed healthcare use among 129,000 Danish women from 2000 to 2017, including 21,616 diagnosed with endometriosis. First author Anna Melgaard, a doctoral student in Aarhus University's Department of Public Health, said, “We can see that women affected by endometriosis were already using the healthcare system more frequently 10 years before diagnosis, with a marked rise in contact during the final years before diagnosis.”
The study is especially important because earlier research found that these patients often felt passed back and forth within the healthcare system. Melgaard added, “Our research validates that experience.” She hopes the findings will help clinicians pursue further evaluation earlier and avoid a prolonged diagnostic process.
Endometriosis diagnosis is often delayed by up to 10 years. Reasons may include difficulty distinguishing normal from abnormal symptoms, delays in seeking medical care, and limited clinician awareness. Researchers hope the findings will help health systems allocate resources more effectively and shorten diagnostic delays.
The team is now analyzing the specific reasons for healthcare visits, aiming to identify patterns among patients with suspected but undiagnosed endometriosis and help them obtain diagnosis and treatment sooner.
What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining occurs outside the uterus, including on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, peritoneum, bowel, or bladder. The main symptom is severe menstrual pain, which may progress to chronic pain. Other symptoms can occur outside menstruation and include pain during sex, difficulty conceiving, bowel problems, and rectal bleeding. The cause is unknown but may involve hereditary factors. Treatments include hormone therapy, pain medication, and surgery in some cases.
News | Healthcare Use Rises Years Before an Endometriosis Diagnosis
News | Healthcare Use Rises Years Before an Endometriosis Diagnosis
A study found that women had substantially more contact with the healthcare system for years before an endometriosis diagnosis than women without the chronic condition. The findings highlight common diagnostic delays and offer insight into shortening the path to diagnosis and treatment.
Endometriosis is a chronic and often severely painful condition affecting women. Before diagnosis, affected women had more frequent contact with general practitioners, private gynecologists, and hospital services.
Researchers analyzed healthcare use among 129,000 Danish women from 2000 to 2017, including 21,616 diagnosed with endometriosis. First author Anna Melgaard, a doctoral student in Aarhus University's Department of Public Health, said, “We can see that women affected by endometriosis were already using the healthcare system more frequently 10 years before diagnosis, with a marked rise in contact during the final years before diagnosis.”
The study is especially important because earlier research found that these patients often felt passed back and forth within the healthcare system. Melgaard added, “Our research validates that experience.” She hopes the findings will help clinicians pursue further evaluation earlier and avoid a prolonged diagnostic process.
Endometriosis diagnosis is often delayed by up to 10 years. Reasons may include difficulty distinguishing normal from abnormal symptoms, delays in seeking medical care, and limited clinician awareness. Researchers hope the findings will help health systems allocate resources more effectively and shorten diagnostic delays.
The team is now analyzing the specific reasons for healthcare visits, aiming to identify patterns among patients with suspected but undiagnosed endometriosis and help them obtain diagnosis and treatment sooner.
What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining occurs outside the uterus, including on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, peritoneum, bowel, or bladder. The main symptom is severe menstrual pain, which may progress to chronic pain. Other symptoms can occur outside menstruation and include pain during sex, difficulty conceiving, bowel problems, and rectal bleeding. The cause is unknown but may involve hereditary factors. Treatments include hormone therapy, pain medication, and surgery in some cases.
Source:
Compiled from online sources