For many Canadians, the journey from the onset of symptoms to a clinical diagnosis of endometriosis involves 11 years of debilitating pain, uncertainty, anxiety, depression and stigma. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. Symptoms can include infertility, intestinal issues, bleeding or spotting and chronic pain.
While endometriosis impacts up to 10 per cent of women aged 15 to 44, existing diagnostic screeners are mostly designed for adults with severe disease and focus on symptoms that may not be as relevant for young adults, limiting their effectiveness for early detection of endometriosis.
Women’s College Hospital’s (WCH) Drs. Brittany Rosenbloom, Rachael Bosma and Tania Di Renna are leading the way in efforts to advance care and early screening for those living with, or at risk of, endometriosis.
“When I became the inaugural director of the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI) program, I realized that much of the chronic pain research in Toronto was not addressing female-specific health issues such as pregnancy, fertility, menstruation and menopause,” says Dr. Di Renna. “Chronic pelvic pain, a common and debilitating condition affecting about 26 per cent of the global female population, represents a significant unmet need. While we are working to address this issue, disparities in access to services persist.”
With over $500,000 in funding awarded from CIHR through a specific call for women’s health, they aim to enhance health equity for Canadian women and gender-diverse individuals by developing relevant and effective screening measures for endometriosis.
“To improve health equity for Canadian women and gender-diverse people, there is a critical need to limit the gap between symptom onset and endometriosis diagnosis,” says Rachael Bosma, scientist at WCH Research and Innovation Institute and director of the University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain.
This project aims to develop a relevant and valid screening measure for endometriosis. The team will begin by consulting clinical and lived experience experts to review an existing endometriosis screening measure for its suitability for young adults in Canada. Based on their feedback, they will refine the measure and test it with 230 young Canadian adults to ensure its effectiveness.
“I’m thrilled to be leading this project with my co-principal investigators as it’s an opportunity to advance women’s health in Canada and improve the lives of those living with endometriosis,” says Brittany Rosenbloom, associate scientist at WCH Research and Innovation Institute and clinical and health psychologist at TAPMI.
This initiative will also involve collaborating with primary care clinicians and patients to co-create a toolkit for supporting early screening and intervention.
“I’m excited to be working with a powerhouse team of pelvic pain specialists, gynecologists, researchers, and persons with lived experience who are passionate about making a difference in women’s health,” says Bosma.
To learn more about TAPMI’s work, click here.