- 作者：Rebecca Greene ; Pamela Stratton ; Sean D. Cleary ; Mary Lou Ballweg ; Ninet Sinaii
- 关键词：Endometriosis ; diagnosis ; physician specialty ; adolescence ; pelvic pain ; symptoms ; health care
- 刊名：Fertility and Sterility
- 出版年：2009
- 出版时间：January 2009
- 年：2009
- 卷：91
- 期：1
- 页码：32-39
- 全文大小：209 K
Objective
To determine whether first physician seen and symptoms beginning in adolescence have an impact on the diagnostic experience of endometriosis.Design
Cross-sectional study of self-reported survey data.
Setting
Academic research.
Patient(s)
Four thousand three hundred thirty-four Endometriosis Association Survey respondents reporting surgical diagnosis of endometriosis.
Intervention(s)
None.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Specialty of first physician seen, timing of onset of symptoms, time to seeking medical care and to diagnosis, number of physicians seen, and satisfaction with care.
Result(s)
Almost all respondents reported pelvic pain. Fifty percent first saw a gynecologist and 45 % saw a generalist for symptoms related to endometriosis. Two thirds reported symptoms beginning during adolescence; they waited longer to seek medical care than adults did. Those seeing a generalist first took longest to get diagnosed; those seeing a gynecologist first saw fewer physicians. Sometime before diagnosis, 63 % were told nothing was wrong with them.
Conclusion(s)
Women and girls who reported seeing a gynecologist first for symptoms related to endometriosis were more likely to have a shorter time to diagnosis, to see fewer physicians, and to report a better experience overall with their physicians. The majority reported symptoms beginning during adolescence, also reporting a longer time and worse experience while obtaining a diagnosis.