Women stay silent on health issues for fear of co-workers' opinions

Sumi Dunne, a GP and expert on women’s health, discusses a Laya survey showing 87% of women have experienced at least one female health-related condition, but don't talk about it at work 

Sumi Dunne, a GP, clinical lecturer, and respected expert on women’s health. Picture: Andres Poveda

Female workers keep their health woes to themselves, with many maintaining a workplace silence about their symptoms and even delaying care for fear of their colleagues’ opinions.

These are just some of the concerning findings of new research from laya Healthcare, part of the AXA group, highlighting a gender health gap in Ireland.

The research found that women are more likely to downplay or hide symptoms at work, with 66% taking painkillers to push through the workday. Women also have a fear of not being taken seriously, which leads over half of women to delay seeking medical help.

For instance, 83% of women experience menstrual or pelvic pain, with over 90% of younger females (18-44) affected. However, few women talk about their health with colleagues and cite ‘low trust levels’ as a key reason for their silence.

“There is a gender health imbalance and it won’t improve until we start to normalise health conversations in the workplace,” says Dr Sumi Dunne, a general practitioner, clinical lecturer and respected expert on women’s health.

“We need to promote greater dialogue around health, and build upon the flexible workplace policies of recent years. We have learned some things out of the Covid experience, but we now need to take it further to be more inclusive, with more sensitivity around gender and cultural diversity.” 

The laya study shows the scale of difference between men’s and women’s health experiences. Women's health challenges are far more common, but they don't always get the attention they should.

On women's health in the workplace, Sumi Dunne says: 'We need the ‘Double A’ of stronger advocacy and greater awareness.'   

Of those surveyed, 87% of women have experienced at least one female health-related condition, examples of which include urinary tract infections, menopause symptoms, PMS and heavy menstrual bleeding.

The study shows a clear difference in how men and women perceive their healthcare experience in Ireland. This "gender health gap" means women can face delayed diagnoses, limited access, and less focus in research. Closing this gap is a global challenge that requires collective responsibility.

“We need the ‘Double A’ of stronger advocacy and greater awareness,” said Dr Dunne. “We should highlight other aspects of pelvic health and dysfunctional heavy bleeding. At meetings, some women say that they prefer to stand; in fact, they fear they might leave a stain on a seat due to heavy bleeding.

“We need to encourage openness and awareness. We need practical measures, like having bathrooms that are well-stocked with the right products, along with gender-sensitive workplace policies.

“We want to reduce bias and promote awareness. It’s great to see Laya taking a lead role with this valuable research.” 

Laya’s research highlights the 'Trust Problem' as a principal reason for the workplace silence around health, impacting far more negatively on women than on men. The research uncovers the hidden pain, shame, and common feeling of being dismissed.

Over half of women aged 25-44 (56%) have felt dismissed at least once when discussing health concerns.

As a result, women are more likely than men to put off seeing a doctor because they fear not being taken seriously. Shockingly, 37% of women (compared to 23% of men) delayed seeking help many times for this reason.

Four in ten women said they felt their health concerns were misunderstood, which they perceived led to a delayed or incorrect diagnosis.

Dr Dunne said: “As a doctor, these findings reflect what I see in my practice every day. For too long, women's pain – especially period and pelvic pain – has been normalised or in some instances not heard. This research clearly shows the huge impact this has – not just on physical health, but on mental wellbeing and even career growth.

“This gap is caused by a number of multiple factors, and I think even small initial steps can make a big difference and help close the gap. It's crucial that healthcare professionals have time to listen to women's experiences, and ensure they get the appropriate care at the right time, without bias or delay because of their gender.”  

 The laya research also found that almost half of working women felt uncomfortable talking about a female health issue at work. This was mainly because they felt embarrassed or didn't want to seem weak or unreliable.

Over 90% of women aged 25-44 have felt the need to downplay or hide their symptoms at work. Two in three (66%) women are likely to take painkillers to get through the workday, compared to 36% of men.

In terms of practical actions, Dr Dunne says ‘menopause cafes’ can be very useful; open discussions over a cup of coffee. She says a company intranet or newsletter can also be used to bring the discussion forward.

Meanwhile, Sandra Murphy, a laya healthcare member and content creator, shared her experience of suffering from endometriosis.

Sandra said: “For years, I lived with debilitating pain that was dismissed as ‘just period pain’. It affected my sleep, work, and relationships, and I felt ignored. Getting the right care changed my life – but too many women are still facing avoidable pain, delayed diagnoses, and poor access to treatment. In this day and age, that simply shouldn’t be the case.” 

 Interestingly, 47% of women with a female manager felt uncomfortable discussing female health issues sometimes or often, compared to 58% of women with a male manager.

When looking at those who felt uncomfortable many times, 12% of women with a female manager felt uncomfortable discussing female health issues while 28% (more than double the amount) of women with a male manager felt uncomfortable discussing female health issues.

Meanwhile, AXA, the parent company of laya, is tackling gender health inequalities via a €3.4 m AXA Research Fund investment in over 20 research projects worldwide, from menopause and cardiovascular risk to the impact of hormones on health.

In Ireland, AXA funding supports Dr Michelle Lavin (RCSI) in her work to reduce postpartum haemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal death. Under its global initiative “Being a woman shouldn’t be a risk”, AXA has also established a Research Lab on Gender Equality to close knowledge gaps and drive change.

www.layahealthcare.ie