- Women are more likely to downplay or hide symptoms at work, with 66% taking painkillers to push through the workday
- Fear of not being taken seriously leads over half of women to delay seeking medical help
- 83% of women experience menstrual or pelvic pain, with over 90% of younger females (18-44) affected
DUBLIN, 30 September – New research from Laya Healthcare, part of AXA, highlights a gender health gap in Ireland, which shows a clear difference in how men and women perceive their healthcare experience in Ireland. This “gender health gap” means women can face delayed diagnoses, limited access, and less focus in research. Closing this gap is a global challenge that requires collective responsibility.
The research emphasises that meaningful progress in this area depends on listening to women, learning from their experiences, and collaborating and empowering individuals, the medical community and employers to open the conversation and ultimately close the gap.
The “Trust Problem”
This research highlights the gender gap in Irish healthcare. It uncovers the hidden pain, shame, and common feeling of being dismissed, including:
- Feeling Dismissed: Over half of women aged 25-44 (56%) have felt dismissed at least once when discussing health concerns.
- Delaying treatment: Women are more likely than men to put off seeing a doctor because they fear not being taken seriously. Shockingly, 37% of women (compared to 23% of men) delayed seeking help many times for this reason.
- Feeling of delayed diagnosis: Four in ten women said they felt their health concerns were misunderstood, which they perceived led to a delayed or incorrect diagnosis.
Dr. Sumi Dunne, a GP specialising in women’s health, added: “As a doctor, these findings reflect what I see in my practice every day. For too long, women’s pain – especially period and pelvic pain – has been normalised or in some instances not heard. This research clearly shows the huge impact this has – not just on physical health, but on mental wellbeing and even career growth. This gap is caused by a number of multiple factors, and I think even small initial steps can make a big difference and help close the gap. It’s crucial that healthcare professionals have time to listen to women’s experiences, and ensure they get the appropriate care at the right time, without bias or delay because of their gender”.
The Hidden Scale of Women’s Health Issues
The study found that women’s health conditions are very common, but they don’t always get the attention they should.
- Almost Everyone Affected: 87% of women surveyed have experienced at least one female health-related condition, examples of which include urinary tract infections, menopause symptoms, PMS and heavy menstrual bleeding.
- Widespread Pain: 83% of Irish women suffer from menstrual or pelvic pain with over 90% of younger females (18-44) experiencing pelvic or menstrual pain and 9% experiencing it at least weekly.
This research highlights the scale of the problem, but it’s women’s stories that show the true impact. Sandra Murphy, a laya healthcare member and content creator shared her experience of suffering from endometriosis; “For years, I lived with debilitating pain that was dismissed as ‘just period pain’. It affected my sleep, work, and relationships, and I felt ignored. Getting the right care changed my life – but too many women are still facing avoidable pain, delayed diagnoses, and poor access to treatment. In this day and age, that simply shouldn’t be the case.”
The “Workplace Struggle”
Health challenges can significantly affect women in the workplace, impacting both their performance and overall wellbeing. The survey found that:
- Silence at Work: Almost half of working women felt uncomfortable talking about a female health issue at work. This was mainly because they felt embarrassed or didn’t want to seem weak or unreliable.
- Hiding Symptoms: 90% of women aged 25-44 have felt the need to downplay or hide their symptoms at work.
- Working Through Pain: Two in three (66%) women are likely to take painkillers to get through the workday, compared to 36% of men.
Interestingly, 47% of women with a female manager felt uncomfortable discussing female health issues sometimes or often, compared to 58% of women with a male manager. When looking at those who felt uncomfortable many times, 12% of women with a female manager felt uncomfortable discussing female health issues while 28% (more than double the amount) of women with a male manager felt uncomfortable discussing female health issues.
Sinéad Proos, Head of Health and Wellbeing at laya healthcare, said: “We know our medical community works tirelessly for patients. This research isn’t about criticism but about listening to women’s voices and finding ways to better support clinicians with education, research, and resources. Poorer health impacts women’s quality of life, career progression, and adds strain to Ireland’s healthcare system. At laya healthcare, we believe by recognising the gap and shining a light on female health we can help understand this ‘silent problem’ more and make steps towards change. That’s why we offer members the choice of a female or male GP through our GP video consultation service, GPLive, and faster access to diagnostics for many female conditions – a scan in five days, results in two. Our message to women is clear – you deserve to be heard, and cared for quickly, and we’re determined to play our part to help close this gap.”
AXA invests €3.4m to close the gender health gap
Laya is now Part of AXA, the No.1 health insurer in Europe. AXA is tackling gender health inequalities through a €3.4m AXA Research Fund investment in over 20 research projects worldwide, from menopause and cardiovascular risk to the impact of hormones on health. In Ireland, AXA funding supports Dr. Michelle Lavin (RCSI) in her work to reduce postpartum haemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal death. Under its global initiative “Being a woman shouldn’t be a risk”, AXA has also established a Research Lab on Gender Equality to close knowledge gaps and drive change.
For more information, insights, practical advice and steps to take to help close the gap go to layahealthcare.ie/health-horizons
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