'The Difficulty of Diagnosis Compromises Patient Care for People With Endometriosis': Interview Study With Aotearoa...

General practitioners (GPs) are gatekeepers to specialist attention for endometriosis in the public system in Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa-NZ). Their perspective of the endometriosis care landscape in Aotearoa-NZ has not been previously assessed.

Semi-structured interviews.

Nine GPs self-selected to participate in interviews that were 13-28 min in duration to discuss their perspectives on endometriosis care.

These interviews included their views on existing guidelines, common characteristics of endometriosis patients, and what the future of endometriosis care could look like.

The GPs of this study expressed that the overloaded nature of specialist appointments in the public health system compromised the care of endometriosis patients. Resultingly, patients were subject to challenging journeys through diagnosis and management exacerbated by these health system factors. Furthermore, GPs identified that there were challenges that could prevent patients from presenting to the clinic to share their health concerns, such as a lack of awareness of 'normal' and pathologic menstrual-related symptoms. Once in the clinic, patients can struggle to feel they can talk openly with their GP, due to issues such as cultural taboos around discussing menstruation. The GPs highlighted that necessary avenues to improve endometriosis care require investment into the public health system to improve its function. They also highlighted potential solutions to improve care that can be incorporated into the existing system, including expanded endometriosis guidelines, improved relationship-building and introducing endometriosis specialist GPs or nurses.

Two of the authors who designed the study approach, interpreted the data and prepared the manuscript were assessed and treated for endometriosis symptoms.