The Victorian Government has published findings from its Inquiry Into Women's Pain, and the results are reaffirming what we already knew: women's pain is rife, and our medical system is ill-equipped to handle it.

The inquiry – which was conducted by the Victorian Government's Women's Health Advisory Council and a panel of experts between January and October 2024 – was informed by the personal medical experiences of 13,000 women and girls aged between 12 and 79. It also investigated carers, clinicians, and other peak bodies tasked with treating women's pain, ultimately uncovering a medical system built around "Caucasian male biology", which is abundant in gender health gaps and misogyny, ultimately resulting in disproportionately poorer health outcomes for women.

Parliamentary Secretary for Women’s Health Kat Theophanous said, “This report makes clear what women have known for generations – our pain is too often dismissed as normal. We’re taking action to change that, expanding access to pain relief and giving women a voice in their healthcare.”

“This report makes clear what women have known for generations – our pain is too often dismissed as normal. We’re taking action to change that, expanding access to pain relief and giving women a voice in their healthcare.”

 

These are the five key findings from the report, as well as the initiatives poised at bridging the gender pain gap.

1. Our medical system means women's healthcare needs remain unmet

Unmet healthcare needs was one of the major findings from the report, meaning that, even though most women will seek care for pain, their needs were not adequately treated. Specifically, 71% per cent of respondents reported being ignored, dismissed or having their pain minimised by healthcare professionals.

23% of respondents reported  seeing more than 10 medical services before being correctly diagnosed.

Some cited their symptoms were misdiagnosed as psychosomatic, while 23% of respondents reported  seeing more than 10 medical services before being correctly diagnosed.

2. There are significant gaps in research and representation

Even when help is sought, gaps in research on women's health often leave women and girls without appropriate care.

As one participant responded, “I would like to see pain associated with menstrual cycles being researched, instead of being told by 50% of my doctors to just go on the pill. The potential side effects [of the pill] are numerous.”

Other women also described feeling like they needed to undertake their own research for more complex conditions like endometriosis, "due to a sense that their healthcare providers didn’t really understand their symptoms or condition."

According to the report, nearly 50% relied on the internet to inform their care.

According to the report, nearly 50% relied on the internet to inform their care.

3. Gender bias in healthcare

Bias in pain perception leads to women’s pain being underestimated and inadequately treated. Many respondents described not only having their pain dismissed or ignored by healthcare professionals, but also undergoing invasive treatments like IUD insertion with little-to-no pain relief.

Others described instances where they were blamed for their pain, or faced stereotyping when seeking treatment. One focus group participant explained, “I had a doctor tell me I was a drug addict because I asked for a stronger pain relief medication," while another said she was made to feel like her pain was entirely related to being overweight.

Cultural norms, language barriers, and stereotypes about women’s biology were also cited as contributing to limited access and engagement with healthcare services.

4. Barriers across communities

Access to women's healthcare providers can already feel impossible to come by, but the report found that women living in regional and rural areas, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, LGBTIQA+ communities, and women with disabilities faced even greater challenges.

This could include needing to travel hours for a specialist appointment, limited access to specialist providers, and high costs associated with managing pain.

“I have spent over $30,000 on out-of-pocket surgery, hospital and specialist fees for endometriosis in less than five years," one participant reported. Another said, “It took over six years and eight GPs to get a referral.”

5. Overall, women want change

The overwhelming finding was that women want their pain heard, and adequately treated, without bias. There is also a demand for affordable, accessible care, and a better understanding of lived experiences of pain, empowering women and girls to make informed decisions about their health.

So, what's being done?

The Victorian government has several initiatives currently underway aimed at bridging the gender pain gap. These include:

• Opening 20 new women;'s health clinics between 2023 and 2027
• Partnering with BreastScreen Victoria to deliver a Mobile Women’s Health Clinic for girls, women and gender diverse people living in regional and rural Victoria, including First Nations women.
• Maintaining a network of women’s sexual and reproductive health services across the state
• Opening an Aboriginal Women’s Health Clinic in Melbourne's CBD, to providing free and culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls.
• Providing 10,800 additional free laparoscopies over four years to improve the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis.
• Establishing a  Virtual Women’s Health Clinic, delivered by community health provider 'Each'
• Developing a business case for a Women’s Health Research Initiative (WHRI), focusing on sex and gender-specific research.