Endometriosis affects 18% of women globally, yet diagnosis and treatment delays remain widespread. In Indonesia, this study reveals stark disparities in access to endometriosis care. Even with national health insurance implemented, access to care remains affected by the class of service to which patients are entitled, with those in the lowest class having the least access to endometriosis therapy. Patients living in Kalimantan, despite having more visits, are less likely to have access to endometriosis therapeutic management, such as laparoscopy, non-laparoscopy surgery, and non-surgical care, than those living in Java and Bali. These findings highlight urgent inequities in Indonesia's healthcare system, where a limited number of OB/GYN specialists and referral hospitals deprive women-particularly in remote areas-of optimal care. Addressing these gaps through policy reforms and equitable resource distribution is critical to improving endometriosis management and women's health nationwide.
Meidyana et al. (Tue,) studied this question.