The Victorian Government has released the final report from its inquiry into women's pain.
A survey run as part of the inquiry received 13,000 responses.
Of those respondents, 90% reported experiencing pain lasting over a year, and 89% said pain impacts their mental health.
Advocates have now called for Medicare coverage to be extended to allow more women to access support.
Report
The inquiry began in January 2024, consulting with individuals, carers, organisations, and health professionals. It was led by Professor Sue Matthews and consumer advocate Fi Macrae.
On Sunday, the Government released its final report, with findings of gaps in medical research and accessibility, and experiences of bias and dismissal.
The inquiry included a survey which received 12,800 responses, including from individuals identifying as non-binary and intersex. A quarter of respondents to this survey said they lived with disability.
The most common pain-causing conditions reported were menstrual and hormonal issues (40%), endometriosis (26%), and musculoskeletal problems (26%).
While 95% of respondents had sought assistance for pain, 71% felt dismissed by healthcare professionals when seeking help, also identifying high costs and wait times as barriers to accessing care.
More than half said their pain had impacted their intimate relationships.
Respondents also said pain impacted their recreation and hobbies (59%), or their work, schooling, or volunteer activities (44%).
Recommendations
The final report included 27 recommendations, such as:
- improving education and awareness about pain;
- creating clearer pathways for treatment;
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- growing the healthcare workforce;
- and making support more accessible and affordable.
The Government has announced immediate measures, such as a pilot rollout of the ‘green whistle’ pain relief inhaler for IUD insertion, and a reproductive health and pain clinic for under-18s in Melbourne.
Response
Premier Jacinta Allan, who has endometriosis, said the recommendations are “tangible steps [that] will improve the lives of women and girls everywhere.”
Women’s Health Victoria (WHV) CEO Sally Hasler called the report a “really powerful and courageous collection of women’s evidence”.
Hasler said the Federal Government should increase Medicare coverage for specialist and complex appointments so women are not “unfairly out of pocket.”
Criticism
Shadow Health Minister Georgie Crozier said the report “highlight[s] important issues,”such as affordable and appropriate access to healthcare in regional Victoria.
However, Crozier said: “ThisGovernment has underfunded community health, resulting in the closure of clinics that provide vital services”.
She said women with chronic pain will be “without GPs, nurses and mental health support.”
What’s next?
Over the next six months, an action plan will be developed by the Victorian Government to respond to the report’s findings.
Programs funded by the Government’s women’s health package – announced in the 2023/24 budget – continue to berolled out.
These programs include creating new women’s health clinics, supporting more laparoscopies for endometriosis diagnosis, and scholarship and grant funding.
