APS Response to the Victorian Inquiry into Women’s Pain

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) appreciated the opportunity to contribute to the Victorian Inquiry into Women’s Pain. As the first Australian inquiry of its kind, it will be a vital platform for understanding, acknowledging and better responding to the experience of pain for girls and women from 12 years of age.

In the submission, the APS highlighted that: pain is a costly personal and public health concern, especially for girls and women; the psychological and social impacts of pain are highly significant; there is a culture of disbelief and disenfranchisement of women’s and girls’ pain; and there are compounding impacts of intersectionality on women’s and girls’ experience of pain and care.

Among our recommendations, the APS has called for:

• Women and girls to be able to access safe, quality multi-disciplinary models of pain care, including prevention and early intervention,
• Increased access to psychologists, including early referral, for psychological assessment and care as first line treatments,
• Encouraging women and girls to reach out for pain care and support via patient education and public awareness campaign strategies that aim to inform about gender disparities in pain care and to reduce stigma, including self-stigma, and
• Workforce measures, including training and the development of evidence-based guidelines for health professionals that incorporate gender-specific and trauma-informed pain care considerations.

View submission