ASPECTOS SOCIAIS ENVOLVIDOS NO DIAGNÓSTICO TARDIO DA ENDOMETRIOSE: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA

Abstract

Introduction: Endometriosis is a chronic and benign disease that affects women of reproductive age, and is characterized by the growth of endometrial cells outside the uterine cavity, resulting in an inflammatory reaction that may be associated with the occurrence of several comorbidities. Objective: To trace the relationship between social development indices and the difficulty in diagnosing endometriosis. Methodology: This is a literature review with descriptive and qualitative approaches, where the research platforms Scielo and Pubmed were used based on the descriptors endometriosis, delay, diagnosis and social development, considering papers published between 2017 and 2022 in English and Portuguese languages. Results: Endometriosis is a chronic and progressive disease, it is considered a public health problem due to the number of women who are diagnosed, often requiring hospitalizations and tests that are usually high cost and due to this, the Single Health System (SUS) and plans/agreements may take time to authorize their realization, these factors along with the neglect of symptoms lead to a late diagnosis that brings with it many impacts on women's health. Conclusion: Endometriosis brings with it the influence of social markers, taking into account the neglect of symptoms that may occur on the part of patients and/or health professionals. Thus, the diagnosis may occur late, which entails consequences that interfere with the quality of life of these patients.