Bias Beating: The Key Role of Media in Exposing Medical Misogyny
- Women in Media
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Tracey Cheung
Podcasts, news features and documentaries by women are forging a new story about bias in the health system – and momentum is changing key outcomes
From the SBS News Hypocrisy Podcast to The Age's Medical Misogyny investigative series, there has been increasing and long overdue noise about the health inequities women face, and the term "medical misogyny."
There’s a lot at stake if women struggle to get even basic information and answers.
But keeping the latest, and most accurate, information on women’s health on the media agenda can steer a path through confusing and misleading reports – and even potentially impact policy.
When women feel dismissed or confused, they may turn to social media where medical misinformation can lie, says former ABC health reporter Sophie Scott OAM, Adjunct Professor at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney.
Scott says journalists and health experts can counter this by also using storytelling, but with evidence, rather than fear or hype, to support it.
To verify research or health claims, Scott says reading the entire scientific paper, not just the press release, is key.
"Spell out clearly how new the research is and whether it's been tested in large numbers of people, or just mice. Seek independent comments from groups like the Australian Science Media Centre for an unbiased analysis of the research.
"Follow the money. Does a vested interest have a benefit to gain from the research? Is the expert speaking outside their scope of practice?"
With awareness about the need for accurate information starting to shift, efforts to address the complex, underlying systemic biases are also ramping up in the media.
Maintaining trust in the healthcare profession, says Jean Hailes CEO Dr Sarah White, means tackling the need for systems’ change.
"I worry we're getting close to the line where women are not believing doctors."
CEO of Women's Health Victoria, Sally Hasler, says, "Reporting that connects lived experiences with evidence and systemic failures is particularly powerful for holding governments accountable and can influence policy."
There’s a long history to health inequity, and bias in male-focused medical research. Professor of Psychology at UNSW, Bronwyn Graham, summed it up in her presentation at The Ethics Centre's 2024 Festival of Dangerous Ideas, titled "Women, Your Healthcare is Based on a Man's Body."
"More than 70 per cent of participants in early-stage clinical trials are white men, with male cells and male animals used as standard in the laboratory," said Professor Robyn Norton, Founding Director of The George Institute for Global Health.
"When these results are generalised to women, intersex, trans and gender-diverse people, we see long delays in diagnosis and intervention, inappropriate treatment or dosing, different responses to medicines and devices, and dismissal of pain or other symptoms," she continued.
"Heart disease, for example, is a leading cause of illness and death for both Australian women and men, yet it continues to be primarily known as a 'man's disease'.”
Professor Severine Lamon, Co-director of the Victorian hub of the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, says greater media interest in female-focused and sex-balanced research helps. “For example, when presenting a ‘breakthrough’, ask: Do these findings apply to females in the same way as they do to males? Were female participants included in the research?"
If not, pointing this out can raise awareness that this is part of the story of medical misogyny.
"Equally important, women's health coverage doesn’t have to be restricted to female-specific conditions. No disease is experienced in the same way by females and males. Treating health as a one-size-fits-all issue in the media has the potential to undermine the public's understanding of women's health.”
In addition, women often have complex health needs and need longer consultation times for assessment, discussions and diagnosis.
Professor Karen Price, former President of the Royal Australian College of GPs until 2022, highlights the importance of comprehensive healthcare and continuity of care, but the Medicare system does not support consultations long enough to address the complex needs of not just women, but the broader community.
Price says it’s important to encourage women to build trusted, long-term relationships with GPs rather than “doctor shopping.”
Guiding patients on how to navigate the system can help women cut through the overwhelm and conflicting information, says Syl Freedman, Co-founder of EndoActive, an advocacy non-profit organisation for endometriosis. Delays in diagnosis of this complex condition are often due to a lack of awareness among patients and healthcare professionals, such as misconceptions about it being only period pain or related to a person's pain threshold.
Freedman says, 'explainer' pieces can unpack complex science, clarify what is and isn't evidence-based, and demystify common misconceptions. That balance helps audiences feel both heard and informed — maintaining trust in healthcare."
Rosie Purdue is a pelvic health physiotherapist and founder of Hatched House, a women's health clinic, who found herself fighting to be heard. She says podcasts where women share their stories and engage in in-depth conversations with health professionals have helped her patients.
"The media can balance challenges with solutions by presenting elements of hope and showcasing progress. That might mean directing women to practical tools or showcasing examples of excellent team-based care,” she says.
Freedman suggests further collaboration to generate data. "Outlets like SMH and The Age have demonstrated the power of leveraging their reach to conduct large-scale surveys. If future surveys are designed in collaboration with universities, statisticians or medical researchers, the findings could be robust enough to contribute to building the evidence base.
“Media can also sustain accountability through follow-up reporting, asking, ‘What reforms have been promised? What has changed in medical education, funding or policy?’ This follow-through prevents tokenism and builds trust that coverage leads to action."
As Sally Hasler says, "Journalism is helping turn decades of bias into momentum for real reform."
