Health problems are affecting more than the physical wellbeing of many women in the United States, with a new survey finding that difficulties within the healthcare system are also spilling into their careers, family responsibilities and everyday lives.
The Gallup-Pivotal Women’s Health Survey, conducted in July 2026 among 3,845 women and 1,296 men, found that 51% of US women had experienced at least one problem when accessing healthcare.
Many women say their symptoms were dismissed
According to the survey, 34% of women said a healthcare provider had minimised or dismissed their symptoms at some point during the previous five years. Another 33% reported being misdiagnosed or unable to obtain a diagnosis, while 31% said they could not get the answers they needed.
Diagnosis can also take time. Among women who received a diagnosis for their most recent health condition, 47% said they waited at least three months, including 22% who waited a year or longer.
Health concerns are reaching the workplace
The effects extend beyond the doctor’s office. Among women in the workforce, 42% said their health had limited their career in some way during the previous five years.
The survey found that women who felt their symptoms had been dismissed were more likely to report that their health prevented them from doing everything they wanted in life.
Health also affected family responsibilities, with 27% of women saying it had made caring for their families harder, while 26% said they had missed family or social events because of their health.
The need to be heard
The findings highlight that access to healthcare is not only about having medical services available. Being listened to, receiving timely diagnoses and getting clear treatment guidance can also influence how women participate in work, family and community life.
For many women, the issue may begin with a simple but important need: to have their health concerns heard and taken seriously.