Women's pain is consistently underestimated, undertreated, and attributed to psychological causes at higher rates than men's. This article examines the research behind that pattern, the history that produced it, and what it means for women navigating healthcare today.
New Zealand has had a comprehensive whole-person model of health for over forty years. It was developed here, it is enshrined in health policy, and it is invoked regularly in government documents. It is also almost entirely absent from how persistent pain is assessed, treated, and compensated in this country. That absence is not accidental. And understanding what is missing when it disappears tells us something important about what genuine pain care would look like.
New Zealand's accident compensation scheme is one of the most comprehensive in the world. But for people living with persistent pain — especially pain that defies easy explanation — the system that was designed to help can become one of the most significant sources of harm.