Investigating the Experiences of Black Women with Endometriosis: A Scoping Review
Time: 01:10 PM - 01:20 PMTopics: Women's Health, Social and Environmental Context and Health
Endometriosis is a chronic disease where endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus. This disease affects approximately 10% of women worldwide, and nearly 6.5 million women in the United States. Endometriosis negatively impacts quality of life and may cause severe symptoms such as chronic pain and infertility. Black/African American (Black) women are nearly 50% less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis compared to White women. Several barriers contribute to the diagnostic delay and inadequate treatment of endometriosis; however, a dearth of research exists on these barriers for Black women. The purpose of this study was to examine the literature on the experiences that contribute to the diagnostic delay of Black women with endometriosis. We conducted a scoping literature review using databases such as Ovid Medline, PubMed, and CINAHL. Search terms such as “endometriosis” and “Black/African American women” were used. In total, 455 full text articles were found. Out of the 455 articles, we found 20 articles relevant to our research question published between 2016 and 2024. While research is limited in this domain, several studies suggest that racism and discrimination are factors which influence the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis in Black women. Research revealed that many Black women with endometriosis experience diagnostic delays due to misdiagnoses, implicit bias from health care providers, and limited access to specialty care, amongst factors. Other studies show that Black women with endometriosis have treatment challenges due to hesitancy of undergoing surgical treatment (i.e., hysterectomies and laparoscopies) and experiencing higher rates of surgical complications. It is well documented that there are racial and ethnic disparities in chronic pain management, with historically marginalized groups receiving lower quality of care compared to White patients. Future research should consider the role that medical racism plays in the disparate diagnosis and treatment of Black women with endometriosis.
Keywords: OB-GYN disorders, Health disparitiesAuthors and Affliiates
Co-Author: Sophia Allen, PhD, PhD, MBA, Penn State College of MedicineInvestigating the Experiences of Black Women with Endometriosis: A Scoping Review
Category
Scientific > Poster/Paper/Live Research Spotlight