Medical misogyny, where systemic, conscious or unconscious gender biases affect how a patient is treated by the healthcare system, can create significant gendered imbalances in healthcare. The issue has gained increasing attention in Australia, as more women share their experiences of being dismissed, ignored or misdiagnosed by medical practitioners.

This paper outlines some causes of medical misogyny and investigates its practical impacts on Australians. It presents the results of a commissioned survey – including a representative sample of Australians on their experiences of general practitioners (GPs). The survey found that women and young people have significantly worse experiences than older men.

Addressing the crisis of medical misogyny requires structural change to Australian healthcare, including more research into the experiences of women and policy settings that them. 

Key findings

• Medical misogyny can carry severe consequences for the lives of those who experience it. Sometimes, those consequences can be fatal. 
• There are significant differences between the experience of men and women, and younger people and older people, when they see a doctor.
• The disparity between the satisfaction with GP care between young women and older men is the most extreme.