We know that the gender gap permeates into many different facets of women’s lives. Arenas of contention still exist in the pay cheques we receive, the boardrooms we sit in, and the streets we walk down. But, often less spoken about, is the gap that exists in the diagnosis and treatment of a woman’s illness. . . .
After nearly sending me home and delaying surgery because “I was still smiling”, my protest was heard and I was taken into surgery where they found an almost-burst appendix. I was hospitalised for seven days. . . .
Currently, one in five women in Australia experience pelvic pain and one in ten women suffer from endometriosis. If we widen our lens, to an economic view, endometriosis costs Australia $7.7 billion a year. So, not only does this cost women their quality of life but also affects our economy.
This statistic finally became too significant to be ignored and in March of last year, it was revealed that the government will be provide funding $2.5 million for the improvement in diagnosis and treatment for women with the disease.
Source: The Gender Gap In Pain: How Womens Illnesses Are Treated Differently