There's calls for more to be done to improve the gender health gap across Lincolnshire and Stamford

There's calls for the gender health gap in Lincolnshire to be improved.

It comes after research by Benenden Health finds a third of women have experienced a late diagnosis - and further third received a diagnosis that turned out to be incorrect.

Jody Stewart is the Leader of the Lincolnshire Endometriosis UK Group supporting women across the county and in Newark.

Her journey started as soon as she began having periods. She says "I thought it was normal and that maybe I had a low pain threshold."

She was placed on the birth control pill, that for number of years, allowed her to lead a relatively normal life. Until, in her twenties, she stopped taking the pill and the pain returned.

At one point, her boyfriend said he thought she should see the doctor, she said after a laparoscopy, it was confirmed she had endometriosis.

Endometriosis UK say it's the name given to the condition where cells similar to the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body.

Each month these cells react in the same way to those in the womb, building up and then breaking down and bleeding. Unlike the cells in the womb that leave the body as a period, this blood has no way to escape.

In the UK, around 1.5 million women and those assigned female at birth are currently living with the condition, regardless of race or ethnicity. Endometriosis can affect someone from puberty to menopause, although the impact may be felt for life.

Jody says "when I first met others with endometriosis it felt great - people who I didn't have to explain everything to, the conversation flowed and through adversity, grew life long friendships. I wanted to allow others with endometriosis to make these connections, so I started the Lincoln Endometriosis UK Support Group."

She tells us more about why the gender health gap is an issue:

"The impact isn't just for women, it's for society generally. If a woman isn't able to go to work, continue with their education, it's the ripple affect of how that impacts all of society, so we should all be fighting for better services for women.

"It would be wonderful to get to a point where we didn't need to have these conversations, and naturally women's health is given the same priority as men's health. But for now it is absolutely what's needed."

The group hope to offer knowledge and support to women facing the same condition.

The group meets in the Community Room in Waitrose, in Lincoln - usually the last Friday of the month. The meetings are 18:30 - 20:30.

You can find out more on the Endometriosis UK website.

In addition to the research by Benenden Health, of the women asked, more than a third (35%) feel they have experienced poorer health outcomes because of their gender, and of those, more than half said they've had a negative experience with a healthcare professional (57%) and a quarter revealed that they have also been put on the wrong medication at some point in their lifetime.

The survey, of 10,000 women aged 16+ in the UK, was carried out as part of a new campaign which is focused on raising awareness of the existing gender health gap in the UK.

Currently, the UK has the largest female health gap among G20 countries, and the 12th largest globally. Benenden Health's research looks at how this manifests itself and seeks to understand, and remove, the barriers to a more equal society when it comes to health outcomes.

The research also found that more than a quarter (27%) of women feel that the UK's healthcare system specifically favours men over women, leaving many women reticent to seek medical help at all and impacting on their long-term wellbeing. In fact, more than a third of respondents (35%) said they avoid going to the doctors, for reasons including anxiety and embarrassment.

Rowan Connell, Medical Director and Consultant Gynaecologist at Benenden Health, said:

"The findings of our research paint a concerning look at women's health in the UK, but it's a reality that, as a society, we cannot shy away from. At Benenden Health, we believe that everyone deserves access to great healthcare. We are committed to not only raising awareness of the gender health gap, but working to break down the barriers that women face and removing the stigma around women's health to ensure the right support is in place for them now, and into the future."

In partnership with the UK's leading charity for gender equality and women's rights, the Fawcett Society, Benenden Health is on a mission to raise awareness of the gender health gap in the UK by highlighting the challenges that women face and supporting better health outcomes for all. Benenden Health is private healthcare done different, believing that no matter who you are and what your medical history is, you deserve access to great healthcare.

For more information about Benenden Health's latest campaign, visit their website. |newtab)

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