More endometriosis sufferers are receiving diagnoses for the often-debilitating condition. Despite the growing awareness, there's still a great deal that isn't known about the disease. A group of scientists in Canberra are among those working to tackle the lack of research, doing their best to build a clearer profile of what life is like for those who have endometriosis
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00As someone living with endometriosis, Annalise Naylor says it affects every aspect of her life.
00:09During those periods of peak endo-flares, you know, I struggle to get up out of bed and go to work every day.
00:14I've got that, you know, blaring hot heat pack across my tummy.
00:17I'm so passionate about trying not only to help diagnose the disorder, but improve our life of living with the disorder.
00:24It's a passion that has led her to research.
00:27The project's really about trying to understand the basic kind of profile of someone living with endometriosis
00:33and how that might compare to someone who's not currently experiencing those symptoms.
00:37The team from the University of Canberra is seeking around 150 people, both with and without endo,
00:44to complete a survey that asks questions about how they experience pain and other bodily sensations.
00:50It aims to find out if there are differences in how the two groups think and behave
00:55and in their overall quality of life.
00:57Essentially, as everyone with endo might know, not a lot of research is being done,
01:02so you really have to start at that foundational understanding approach to see what's going on for that population.
01:10We're really excited about that research that goes beyond the diagnosis and pathology
01:15and really gets to the lived experience of those with endometriosis.
01:18It's hoped the findings will both paint a clearer picture of life with the disease,
01:22as well as make recommendations to improve quality of life for those who have it.
01:26It's an area the federal government says it's keenly interested in and investing in.
01:31Research into a chronic condition like endometriosis, particularly one that affects women, has been underdone for decades.
01:39There are lots of areas where we think we can help women with chronic pain through endometriosis
01:44that doesn't necessarily involve medication, which of course is equally as important.
01:48Trying to give a painful problem the priority it deserves.