Survey Reveals One-third of US Women Struggle to Have Health Symptoms Taken Seriously
TL/DR –
A recent survey by Gallup and Pivotal shows that one-third of American women have had difficulty getting their symptoms taken seriously by doctors. Of these women, over half claim their health issues have impacted their work and home lives. The poll also revealed that women were more likely than men to report fighting for their health concerns to be acknowledged, with 42% of women stating they’ve had to advocate for their health, compared to 26% of men.
Women’s Health Concerns Overlooked by Doctors, Impacts their Work and Home Lives
According to a recent survey, one-third of women in the U.S. have expressed difficulty getting their health symptoms taken seriously by doctors. Over half of these women claim that these unresolved health issues have negatively impacted their work and home lives.
Stephanie Marken, a researcher involved in the survey from Gallup and Pivotal, identifies poor access to quality healthcare as a critical issue. For many women, securing an appointment is just the initial hurdle.
Women often report negative healthcare experiences, such as feeling dismissed or that their pain is being minimized. These experiences often result in them leaving without necessary information, affecting their work and quality of life.
These healthcare barriers obstruct women from living the lives they desire, says Renee Wittemyer, a vice president at Pivotal, a social change organization for women.
Surprising Disparities in Women’s Healthcare Experiences
The survey polled 5,200 United States adults about their encounters with healthcare professionals. It focused on negative experiences like feeling dismissed, misdiagnosis, and receiving unclear instructions or conflicting advice.
The results showed that over half (51%) of women experienced these issues, in contrast to 39% of men. A third of women reported that healthcare providers often minimized or dismissed their symptoms or pain.
Dr. Kimi Chernoby, an ER physician, expressed that gender bias and disbelief of women has been a long-standing problem in healthcare. A study from the Annals of Internal Medicine echoes this, reporting that women are more likely to survive health issues with female doctors.
Impact of Healthcare Problems on Women’s Lives
Failure to address women’s health concerns can have dire implications, from life-threatening inaccuracies like missing heart attack symptoms to more subtle, insidious ones. For example, providers often dismiss postpartum hemorrhage symptoms, a leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S., as being insignificant.
Women are more likely than men to advocate for their health. 42% of women said they had to insist on taking their health concerns seriously, compared to 26% of men. The survey also found that women received diagnoses slower than men, even for identical medical conditions.
Improving Women’s Healthcare Experiences
Steps to improve the situation include being prepared with a list of questions and concerns for each doctor’s appointment, according to Dr. Wendy Harpham, author of “Clinical Communication: Finding the Best Words to Inform, Comfort and Motivate Patients”. Other suggestions include seeking a second opinion and trusting one’s instincts.
However, the burden of seeking adequate medical attention shouldn’t lie with women alone. The system needs to change to provide better care for all patients.
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