How much do you know about the gender pain gap? Each year that women’s health is neglected, it costs the economy more than £20 billion in sick leave, treatment costs, loss of income and stunted career progression, according to recent research. And it’s women who are paying the price.
We explore the true costs women are shouldering and how workplaces can better support women’s health.
What is the gender pain gap?
The gender pain gap, also known as the gender health gap is: “the discrepancy in how pain is understood, diagnosed and treated between men and women,” explains Dr Claudia Pastides, Director of Medical Accuracy at Flo Health. “It is important because women’s quality of life can be hugely impacted by the misdiagnosis and mistreatment of the pain which they experience.”
To understand the true cost of the widening gender pain gap I spoke with the study’s spokesperson and Deputy Chief Medical Officer at AXA Health Dr Pallavi Bradshaw. She explained that: “Although women in the UK on average live longer than men, women spend a significantly greater proportion of their lives in ill health and disability. Not enough focus is placed on women-specific health issues like endometriosis or menopause and clinical trials are limited.
“Historically, healthcare has been designed by men for men and this has led to a gap and limited options in areas that affect women,” Dr Pallavi explains.
Carla Cressy, CEO and founder of the Endometriosis Foundation, started experiencing endometriosis symptoms at only thirteen years old. Her health provider told her she had a low pain threshold and sent her on her way. It wasn’t until she was aged 25 that she was finally diagnosed with endometriosis – and only by accident, after being rushed to hospital for suspected appendicitis. “I was taken back into surgery, open surgery, cutting me from hip to hip, where they discovered endometriosis,” Carla recounts.
“The condition had been left so long that it had progressed into frozen pelvis disease. It ravaged through my reproductive organs, my bladder and my bowel. I was left unable to bear children. A seven-year treatment plan of invasive operations followed including a total hysterectomy, bladder reconstruction and bowel surgery leaving me with a stoma. I’m now aged 32, in surgical menopause. Had my symptoms and concerns been taken seriously or my condition been picked up earlier, my life could be very different,” she states.
Carla dedicated her career to raising awareness of women’s gynae health issues in efforts to close the gender pain gap: “Studies show women are more likely to experience chronic health conditions like endometriosis and yet when it comes to treatment, research, diagnosis and even being believed, their standard of care lags far behind that of men. For women such as myself, this continuous dismissal can be life-threatening.”
The £20 billion cost of the gender pain gap
The gender pain gap has a wide reach. An alarming 84% of UK women said they were not listened to by healthcare professionals, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. Through suffering symptoms which take years to diagnose, taking sick leave, the cost of treatment, unstable employment and lost career opportunities, women with chronic health conditions are shouldering the cost.
“The research we commissioned with the Centre of Economics and Business Research found that when businesses neglect women’s health in the workplace, the UK economy loses a staggering £20.2bn a year,” says Dr Pallavi.
“Not only is there a staggering economic impact to neglecting women’s health, but women themselves and their families are also bearing the cost. 83% of women have had their personal finances affected. Over 50% had to take time off work, nearly a quarter say they missed promotion and 20% settled for lower pay. All of which has a detrimental impact on the overall economy when scaled,” she explains.
Entrepreneur Nomalanga Humphrey experienced the financial consequences of the gender pain gap firsthand since she was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2019. Nomalanga’s chronic health condition has disrupted her career in fashion design, even requiring her to take on debt just to get by. “I worked in design and buying until my body literally said ‘No.’ I was fainting on the way to work and trying to pretend that I wasn’t constantly in pain.” Nomalanga adds “I have spent a fortune on healthcare over the years. When ill health forced me to quit my full-time job in 2018, I took out a fairly large loan to tide me over. Of course, I now don’t benefit from a workplace pension and my savings have gone towards doctors and operations. It’s devastating to feel like my professional potential won’t be realised because I am still as capable as I was before I became so ill.”
Unable to hold a 9-5 job, Carla had no choice but to pivot her career. “My symptoms would see me be admitted to hospital 2-3 times each week for debilitating pain and a non-functioning bladder and bowel.”
“I was unfortunate to not be met with supportive employers, which meant being forced to hand in my notice twice and give up my home. I made the decision to prioritise my health, learn a trade, become self-employed and move home with my family. Being unable to perform and excel took its toll on me physically, financially, and emotionally.” Carla states.
How workplaces can better support women’s health
Dr Pallavi shared a few ways workplaces can better support women employees with chronic health conditions, such as flexible working arrangements, illness policies, support for specific conditions, mental health and wellbeing support and wellness training for managers.
“Unfortunately, we’ve still got a long way to go when it comes to addressing the gender pain gap,” says Dr Claudia. “We need to continue addressing systemic bias, whilst workplaces strive to support women so that they can thrive at work.”
By better supporting women’s health at work, workplaces can enable their female staff to improve their wellbeing, productivity and job satisfaction, leading to stronger business outcomes and, most importantly, a more healthy and empowered workforce.
