The diagnosis of endometriosis, a chronical disease, is often delayed worldwide for various reasons; and this not only poses a challenge for patients and their families but also imposes a significant economic burden on healthcare systems. The data collected from the Eastern Mediterranean region is extremely limited. A study has been carried out on endometriosis with the intention of making up the insufficient data from the Eastern Mediterranean region. Researchers from the University of Oxford, Cyprus Women’s Health Research Society (COHERS) and Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences participated in the said study. The outcomes of the study were published on 9 December, 2023 in European Journal of Public Health.
According to the information provided by principal researcher of the project Dr. Nilüfer Rahmioğlu, the study published in this highly prestigious journal represented a groundbreaking achievement. It has revealed, through the analysis of data collected from 7,646 women, that the prevalence of endometriosis is approximately 10% lower compared to global data. However, Dr. Rahmioğlu also noted that the data indicate the presence of many undiagnosed cases within the community.
In addition to this, a 7-year delay in the diagnosis of the endometriosis was observed in the community. This study showed that women receive a diagnosis from a doctor approximately 7 years after experiencing the initial symptoms of the disease.
Being one of the researchers participated in the study, EMU Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Biological Sciences Department Chair Prof. Dr. Bahar Taneri emphasized the importance of such collaborative studies and noted that the outcomes of the study shed light on the determination of public health policies, particularly in improving access to better diagnosis and treatment options for patients. Detailed results of the research can be accessed at http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38070492/ link.
