The University of Queensland recently developed a six question test to help detect patients at risk of endometriosis.

The simplified Adolescent Factors for Endometriosis score is a five minute test aimed at reducing the average 6-8 year diagnostic delay, with the hope treatment for endometriosis can begin sooner.

UQ’s centre director of Australian Women and Girls’ Health Research Centre Professor Gita Mishra says delayed diagnoses can affect the mental and physical health of women, the progression of the condition, and can lead to disadvantages during fertility treatment.

“We presented a tool that can be used in GP clinics for referrals for further investigations. In the long run, the use of such tool might speed up time to a diagnosis,” she says.

Professor Mishra says the next steps include evaluating the tool in various clinical settings.

The SAFE score is based off more than 9000 women in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, with researchers identifying risk factors for endometriosis.

The tool works on a point-based system to help guide referrals in primary care.

Recently diagnosed, Lauryn Kerr says she dealt with severe symptoms for years before getting diagnosed.

“All of the symptoms that I had at the time, those were not normal, but my GP told me to just get on the pill and that will solve everything,” she says.

“It’s pretty debilitating, you can start to think you’re just being dramatic so I think this test will really help because if the GP can immediately refer you and you can get an answer, then you can feel like you’re not just in your head about it.”

Ms Kerr says she struggled to find a GP or doctor that would take her period painsseriously.

Diagnosed after going to the emergency room four times, Tasmin Swaine says she struggled to find the help she needed with her symptoms.

“I was getting asked like ‘are you sure you’re not just having tummy issues? Are you sure you’re not like constipated or something?'” she says.

“It was pretty disheartening that nobody was kind of listening to me.”

Ms Swaine says more awareness and knowledge on endometriosis is needed to help women dealing with this condition.