3 Mar 2025

Exploring Gender Bias in Medical Diagnosis and Assessments

International Women’s Day is a global celebration that highlights the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, whilst also serving as a reminder of the work still needed to achieve gender equality, and in the medical field, this annual event presents the opportunity to highlight one significant challenge women face: gender bias in diagnosis and treatment.

 

The issue of gender bias affects a wide range of conditions, from those affecting women specifically such as vaginal mesh injuries and birthing-related complications, through to more general health concerns where women’s symptoms may be overlooked or dismissed.

However, as we near closer to celebrating International Women's Day, it’s more essential than ever to properly examine the impact of these biases and the role we all play in advocating for gender equality in healthcare.

 

Understanding Gender Bias in Healthcare

Gender bias in healthcare refers to the unequal treatment and perceptions of patients based on their gender and is a bias which can manifest in several ways such as misdiagnoses or a lack of adequate treatment.

It has been a cause of concern over the years, with studies highlighting that women’s symptoms are often dismissed or downplayed compared to those of men. For example, a 2019 study by the British Medical Journal underlined that women are more likely to be given psychological diagnoses when presenting with physical symptoms, whereas men are more often prescribed treatments that address the symptoms directly.

And most recently, campaigns such as Nurofen’s See My Pain initiative have shed light on the gender pain gap too, highlighting how women’s pain is more frequently dismissed or overlooked. Here, their 2024 Gender Pain Gap Index Report found that 62% of women felt their pain was ignored, reinforcing the need for systemic change, and it emphasises the urgent need to challenge medical biases and push for equality in healthcare.

But the devastating truth is that such bias in medical practice is not just an inconvenience for women, it can actually have devastating consequences for their health, and gender disparity can further result in delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatments and in the worst cases, unnecessary suffering.

 

To name but a few cases, we have:

 

Example #1: A Case of Gender Bias in Vaginal Mesh Cases

One of the most notable examples of gender bias in medical diagnosis is the vaginal mesh scandal, where vaginal mesh implants were used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, all of which are conditions that disproportionately affect women, particularly after childbirth or menopause.

This scandal affected thousands of women across the UK where many women who had the procedure reported serious complications, including chronic pain, urinary problems, and sexual dysfunction. However, despite these widespread reports, many women were initially dismissed by healthcare providers, with some even being told their symptoms were psychological.

The response to these women’s concerns was a stark example of gender bias, with medical professionals often treating the issue as trivial or dismissing the physical symptoms entirely, and it was only after years of campaigning, including legal action and media attention, did the full extent of the harm caused by these devices come to light.

Here, the experience of women with vaginal mesh implants highlights how gender bias can result in prolonged suffering, as women’s voices and symptoms are ignored or diminished.

 

Example #2: Underreported And Undiagnosed Birthing Injuries 

Another area where gender bias in medical assessments is prevalent is in the area of birthing injuries. This covers complications such as perineal tears, pelvic floor damage and bladder incontinence, all of which are common following childbirth, and whilst many women do experience these symptoms, they are often told that they are “normal” after giving birth.

Here, we see a tendency to downplay the severity of these injuries, which can lead to lasting physical and psychological effects. Women may also face delays in diagnosis or treatment, which can hinder their recovery and quality of life, and in some cases, birth injuries are misdiagnosed or undiagnosed entirely, leaving women with chronic pain or dysfunction.

For example, the impact of birth trauma on women’s mental health can be overlooked, with medical professionals focusing more on the immediate physical recovery than on the long-term psychological and emotional effects.

These issues are then exacerbated by a lack of awareness or sensitivity among healthcare providers, resulting in a culture where women’s health concerns are not taken seriously.

 

Example #3: Female-Specific Medical Diagnoses

There are several other medical conditions that disproportionately affect women and can be subject to gender bias in diagnosis.

For example, autoimmune diseases, which are more common in women than men, are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. This includes conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, all of which may take longer to diagnose in women because their symptoms are sometimes seen as “nonspecific” or dismissed as being linked to mental health issues.

Similarly, heart disease (one of the leading causes of death amongst women) often presents differently in women than in men, yet research has shown that women’s heart attack symptoms are frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed.

And conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) also fall under the category of underdiagnosed or misunderstood female-specific conditions too, with endometriosis, for example, affects approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age in the UK, yet it can take years for women to receive a correct diagnosis, as their symptoms are often dismissed as normal menstrual discomfort.

 

Common Gender-Related Perceptions in Medical Diagnosis

There are several gender-related perceptions and biases that influence medical diagnoses and assessments, with these perceptions being deeply rooted in societal stereotypes. As such, they can affect the way both male and female patients are treated within the healthcare system, and most commonly present themselves as the following:

 

1. Who to believe...

A common question raised in the discussion of gender bias in medical assessments is whether men are more likely to be believed than women when they present symptoms.

The answer, unfortunately, is often yes.

Studies have shown that men are more likely to receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, especially when compared to women presenting with similar symptoms. However, women, in particularly those with chronic pain or invisible illnesses, are more likely to have their symptoms dismissed or attributed to psychological factors.

For example, a 2018 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that women were more likely to be misdiagnosed or delayed in receiving appropriate care for heart attacks, with medical professionals often attributing their symptoms to anxiety or emotional distress. Similarly, a 2019 study in the Lancet highlighted that women presenting with chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia were often labelled as "overreacting" or "hysterical," leading to delayed or inadequate treatments.

This bias may stem from historical gender roles and stereotypes, which suggest that women are more emotional or exaggerate their symptoms, and the perception persists in healthcare with medical professionals sometimes failing to take women’s complaints seriously or attributing their symptoms to mental health issues rather than considering possible physical causes.

 

2. Dismissing women’s pain

One of the most significant gender biases in medicine is the tendency to dismiss or underestimate women’s pain.

Historically, women’s experiences of pain have often been downplayed, with medical professionals attributing their discomfort to emotional or psychological causes. This is particularly evident in cases involving chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia or endometriosis, where women often experience long delays in diagnosis. However, when it comes to men’s pain, particularly when it presents with more immediate or physical symptoms, it tends to be taken more seriously.

This unequal treatment can result in women receiving less effective treatment or not being provided with adequate pain management options.

 

3. The ‘hysteria’ stereotype

Another common perception is that women’s health problems are often linked to psychological issues, with the historical diagnosis of "hysteria" for a range of physical and emotional symptoms continues to have an impact today.

Even in modern medicine, women presenting with certain conditions such as unexplained pain or digestive issues are sometimes assumed to be experiencing anxiety, stress or other mental health problems, something which can lead to misdiagnoses and unnecessary treatments that do not address the root cause of the symptoms.

 

4. Discrepancies in research and clinical trials

Gender bias is also evident in medical research where women have historically been underrepresented in clinical trials, which has led to gaps in understanding how certain conditions affect women specifically.

For example, cardiovascular disease symptoms in women can present differently than in men, yet much of the research into heart disease has been based on male patients which in turn, can contribute to women receiving less accurate diagnoses and treatments tailored to their unique needs.

 

Speed Medical’s Commitment to Gender Equality

At Speed Medical, we are committed to providing fair and impartial medical assessments for all clients, regardless of gender.

We recognise that gender bias in medical diagnoses and assessments is a significant issue, and we strive to ensure that our expert witnesses, who play a pivotal role in the medical-legal field, are thoroughly trained to identify and address any potential biases in their evaluations.

What’s more, we work with experts who approach every case with empathy and professionalism to ensure that female clients receive the same high standard of care and attention to detail as their male counterparts, and our commitment to gender equality means that we advocate for a fair and equal approach to medical assessments, promoting the idea that every client deserves to have their health concerns taken seriously.

 

How We Can Help

At Speed Medical, we understand the crucial role that expert medical assessments play in delivering fair and just outcomes, and with a comprehensive network of over 5,000 medical experts nationwide, we’re well-equipped to provide the reliable, independent reports needed to support a wide range of legal cases.

Whether it's a straightforward personal injury claim or a complex clinical negligence case, our assessments are thorough, unbiased, and aligned with legal standards.

What’s more, we’re proud to contribute to an industry that values equality and strives for fairness in every assessment, and by working with the right experts and continuously promoting gender equality, we aim to break down these barriers, ensuring that all patients, regardless of gender, receive the best possible care and attention in their medical assessments.

For more information, please visit www.speedmedical.com, contact our team via email at info@speedmedical.com or call us directly on 0330 094 8749.