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Researchers at (UQ) say they have conducted the first longitudinal study on the impact of endometriosis on Australia鈥檚 healthcare system, finding the disease is a significant cause of hospitalisation.

Endometriosis is a chronic and often debilitating condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, fatigue, depression, anxiety and bowel problems.

鈥淓ndometriosis affects around one in seven Australian women by age 44 to 49,鈥� said Dr Dereje Gete, from UQ鈥檚 School of Public Health.

鈥淚t can significantly reduce a woman鈥檚 quality of life through severe pelvic pain, infertility issues, irritable bowel syndrome or mental health issues.鈥�

Gete led a team that analysed the association between endometriosis and hospitalisation rates, using the linked health data of more than 13,500 women 鈥� via the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women鈥檚 Health survey 鈥� over a 27-year period up until 2022. He said that women with endometriosis were hospitalised more often than those without the condition.

鈥淥nce women with endometriosis were diagnosed, they had more hospitalisations and longer stays compared to before their diagnosis,鈥� he said.

鈥淭his indicates recurrence of the condition, even after surgical intervention, posing significant challenges for long-term management.鈥�

Senior study author Professor Gita Mishra said the research, which was published in the journal , aids understanding of how a diagnosis of endometriosis influences subsequent healthcare use.

鈥淚t highlights the substantial burden of this chronic condition on both patients and the health system, with frequent hospital admissions and prolonged stays,鈥� Mishra said.

鈥淢ore research is needed to develop targeted interventions.鈥�

The news comes shortly after Perth-based medtech Proteomics International announced the development of a novel , which should be more cost-effective for the health system than the current use of ultrasounds, laparoscopies, MRIs and biopsies.

Image credit: iStock.com/Halfpoint