Heterogeneity of Symptoms, Outcomes, and Characteristics of Patients in Treatment for Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a prevalent and chronic disease characterized by the growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. These lesions can be found in various organs throughout the body, including the pelvic cavity, liver, lungs, and brain. Despite its high prevalence of approximately 10% among individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB) and its significant public health impact, endometriosis remains poorly understood and understudied. The existing classification systems and subtypes have proven inadequate in describing the disease and correlating with symptoms and patient experiences. Patients typically face a diagnostic delay of 7 to 10 years from the onset of symptoms. Participants were recruited via social media to participate in a survey to explore the potential links between lesion locations and demographics, presenting systems, and surgical complication experiences. Exploratory factor analysis was used to reduce the dimensionality of the possible lesion location and potentially be used to develop a profile which could be used by medical teams to enhance care for endometriosis patients.