Managing endometriosis: a cross-sectional survey of women in Australia

Abstract

Purpose

Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory condition. The aim was to describe the self-reported disease characteristics and factors associated with the use of different treatment modalities among women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis.

Method

A cross-sectional online survey featuring 58 fixed-response items measuring disease characteristics, self-efficacy, health service usage, and treatment approaches was conducted. Logistic regression was used to explore the factors associated with different treatment modalities.

Results

Complete data were available from 620 respondents. Average delay to diagnosis was 6.4 years. Despite medical and surgical intervention, 65.8% reported dysmenorrhea and 61.1% reported dyspareunia, and 82.7% reported chronic pelvic pain in the last 3 months. Respondents had consulted an average of three different health practitioner specialties in the previous 12 months for their endometriosis.

Discussion

A chronic disease management plan (CDMP) may be a useful mechanism to coordinate multidisciplinary care among women who experience ongoing symptoms.

Keywords:

• Endometriosis
• chronic disease
• self-management
• women's health

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Thach Tran, Public Health, and Preventive Medicine, Monash University for his statistical advice.

Author contributions

All authors contributed to study design. RO completed data collection, performed data analysis, and preparation of the manuscript. JF and HR contributed to the preparation of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.

Additional information

Funding

This project was conducted as part of RO's PhD research at Monash University, she was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend. JF is the Finkel Professor of Global Public Health, which is funded by the Finkel Family Foundation.