Mike Armour

• PhD
• Associate Professor at Western Sydney University

Endometriosis costs Australia $9.7 billion AUD annually, with most of the cost burden due to absenteeism and lost productivity. Previous research has shown how the absence of workplace support(s) for endometriosis symptom management exacerbates these negative effects. Despite this knowledge, little is known about the role of employers and workplace...

Background Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally. Non-malignant gynaecological diseases (NMGD) significantly affect patient health and well-being and may be associated with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease (C/CVD). Methods Seven databases were searched for relevant studies up to 21 April 2024. Observational studies...

People with endometriosis in Australia predominantly use delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol cannabis flower and oil products, and cannabidiol preparations, to manage their symptoms, reporting reductions in use of other drugs. It is known that lower rates of systematic disclosure of risk factors in life insurance settings, particularly of smoked tobacco,...

background and aim: Dysmenorrhea affects the majority of young women worldwide, but geographical and cultural differences can influence the reporting, impact and management of symptoms. Aotearoa New Zealand is a culturally diverse country, with a high proportion of Māori and Pacific peoples. The aim of this scoping review was to assess the current...

Menstrual disorders are common, but their economic and social impact is still underreported. This study used a cross‐sectional design to investigate menstrual symptom prevalence, impacts and economic burden in Australian women of reproductive age. One thousand two hundred thirty‐eight responses were analysed (median age 33 years). Most respondents...

Endometriosis affects an estimated 6–14% of women and people presumed female at birth, significantly impacting quality of life and workplace productivity. While research highlights that endometriosis pain and symptom management hinders careers and productivity; our current understanding of how workplace practices and intersecting discourses and nor...

Endometriosis symptoms, including persistent pelvic pain and fatigue, profoundly affect many people’s ability to undertake paid employment, globally the condition affects between 10-14% of women/those presumed female at birth. Despite its prevalence there is a paucity of research examining supports that might help employees manage their symptoms. T...

Objectives Mental health symptoms and pain symptoms often coincide in chronic disease. People with endometriosis been shown to have higher incidences of mental health symptoms over people with chronic pain alone. The degree and nature of the relation however is not well established. This study aims to use established endometriosis symptom and menta...

There has been an increased interest in the effects the menstrual cycle (MC) may have on sports performance. As a part of the MC, many females experience a wide range of symptoms related to hormonal fluctuations and menstrual bleeding, including physical pain and mood disturbances. Currently, there is a lack of data on the MCs of females who partic...

Background Evidence-informed practice is crucial to perform safe and efficient health interventions. In recent years, the evidence base of acupuncture continuously increased leading to the integration of acupuncture into clinical guidelines by various leading medical associations worldwide. At the same time, recent studies showed that licensed acup...

Background: Inter-observer agreement for the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) 2021 Endometriosis Classification staging system has not been described. Its predecessor staging system, the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM), has historically demonstrated poor inter-observer agreement. Aims: We aimed t...

Globally rising female labour force participation represents one of the most noteworthy economic developments of the last century. Despite this increase, little is known about the individual and broader economic costs tied to working women’s experiences of menstrual symptoms. To advance feminist inquiry into economic issues affecting women’s workin...

STUDY QUESTION What is the relationship between sexual function, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and laparoscopic surgery in individuals living with endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER A higher number of laparoscopic surgeries is significantly associated with poorer HRQoL and greater levels of sexual dysfunction in individuals with endometriosis...

Background Women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) have fewer eggs than would be expected at their age. It is estimated that 10% of women seeking fertility treatment are diagnosed with DOR. However, the success rate of medically assisted reproduction (MAR) is significantly lower in women with DOR, thus many seek additional approaches. Aim To e...

Introduction: Dysmenorrhea is the most common cause of gynecological pain among women that has considerable impact on quality of life and psychosocial wellbeing. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and hormonal therapies are most commonly used to treat dysmenorrhea. However, given these drugs are often associated with bothersome side ef...

People with endometriosis use cannabis to manage their symptoms. This study aimed to identify costs, modes of administration, product composition, and self‐reported effectiveness for those accessing medicinal cannabis in Australia. There were 192 survey responses analysed. Most (63.5%) used a ‘cannabis clinic’ doctor, incurring an initial consultat...

Background Eczema is a chronic, relapsing skin condition commonly managed by emollients and topical corticosteroids. Prevalence of use and demand for effective botanical therapies for eczema is high worldwide, however, clinical evidence of benefit is limited for many currently available botanical treatment options. Robustly-designed and adequately...

Social media platforms are used for support and as resources by people from the endometriosis community who are seeking advice about diagnosis, education, and disease management. However, little is known about the scientific accuracy of information circulated on Instagram about the disease. To fill this gap, this study analysed the evidence-based n...

Context Insulin resistance is common in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Inositol may have insulin sensitising effects; however, its efficacy in the management of PCOS remains indeterminate. Objective To inform the 2023 International Evidence-based Guidelines in PCOS, this systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of i...

Endometriosis, a chronic condition affecting around 10–14% of women, is challenging to manage, due to its complex pathogenesis and limited treatment options. Research has suggested a potential role of the gut microbiota and the endocannabinoid system in the development and progression of endometriosis. This narrative review aims to explore the role...

(1) Objectives: This paper presents a scoping review of global evidence relating to interventions (i.e., policies, practices, guidelines, and legislation) aimed at supporting women to manage menstruation, menstrual disorders, and menopause at work. (2) Methods: Databases including Medline (Ebsco), CINAHL (Ebsco), Scopus, Web of Science, APA PsychIn...

Background Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) is commonly used by those living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) but little is known about the use of TCIM such as yoga and Ayurveda in ethnic Indian women with PCOS living worldwide. This survey aimed to explore the prevalence and types of TCIM used and in particular the...

A checklist to help TEAM and other clinicians publish a case report for Chinese Herbal Medicine (and acupuncture). A mixed method study as part of a master of research project.

Cannabis sativa (L), a plant with an extensive history of medicinal usage across numerous cultures, has received increased attention over recent years for its therapeutic potential for gynecological disorders such as endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, and primary dysmenorrhea, due at least in part to shortcomings with current management options. D...

There is a growing interest in the endocannabinoid system and the gut microbiota. Both areas have been suggested to play a role in endometriosis, however this is yet to be studied comprehensively. The purpose of this narrative review is to identify the gaps in endometriosis research in the context of these two areas. It underscores the limited know...

There is a growing interest in the endocannabinoid system and the gut microbiota. Both areas have been suggested to play a role in endometriosis, however this is yet to be studied comprehensively. The purpose of this narrative review is to identify the gaps in endometriosis research in the context of these two areas. It underscores the limited know...

Previous quantitative research has shown that cannabis use, mostly illicit, is used for symptom management amongst those with endometriosis living in Australia or New Zealand, but the drivers and barriers for use of legal, medicinal cannabis in this population are currently unclear. This study sought to investigate, via online focus groups, the per...

Background Current endometriosis treatments do not always provide symptom relief, with many using complementary approaches. This study examined the effectiveness of acupuncture on pain and quality of life in people with endometriosis. Methods Searches were conducted on Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Allied and Co...

Background and Objectives: Endometriosis causes significant personal and societal burden. Despite this, research funding lags behind other chronic conditions. Determining where to prioritise these limited funds is therefore vital. Research priorities may also differ between individuals with endometriosis and clinicians/researchers. The aim of this...

There are a variety of cultural and religious beliefs and customs worldwide related to menstruation, and these often frame discussing periods and any gynecological issues as taboo. While there has been previous research on the impact of these beliefs on menstrual health literacy, this has almost entirely been confined to low- and middle-income coun...

In Australia, endometriosis affects one in nine women and those assigned female at birth. Although endometriosis is more common than conditions such as diabetes, research funding for endometriosis research has historically been low in comparison. The National Action Plan for Endometriosis is an Australian Federal Government initiative designed to r...

Background:Endometriosis causes significant personal and societal burden. Despite this, research funding lags behind other chronic conditions and therefore determining where to prioritise these limited funds is vital. Research priorities may differ between affected individuals and clinicians/researchers. The aim of this research project is to explo...

Introduction: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder with diverse clinical presentations. Women with PCOS use traditional, complementary, and integrative medicines, including Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine) to manage their symptoms. Therefore, it is important to understand the current evidence base and the potential areas tha...

Objective: Endometriosis is associated with neuroplastic changes in cognitive control and pain processing networks. This was the first study to assess eyes-closed resting electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillatory amplitudes in women with endometriosis compared to healthy controls, and explore the relationship with chronic pelvic pain. Methods: Wome...

Menstrual management is recognized as a critical issue for young people internationally. Relatively little published research explores issues pertaining to menstruation in school education. This paper is based on the results of an Australian survey of 5007 young women aged 13–25, which examined their experiences of menstruation and dysmenorrhea. It...

Introduction It is recognized that for individuals living with endometriosis, receiving a diagnosis is psychosocially beneficial, but little is known about whether this is influenced by the way in which the disease is diagnosed. The primary objective of this study was to determine the impact of the diagnostic test method (clinical, diagnostic imagi...

Introduction: As a high symptom burden chronic condition, endometriosis is associated with diminished quality of life (QoL) and psychological distress. The EndoSMS text message intervention was developed to inform and support individuals living with endometriosis. The primary aim of this study is to assess the acceptability, feasibility and prelim...

The anatomical distribution of deep endometriosis (DE) is essential in treating patients with symptoms associated with the disease. There is an evidence gap in correlating clinical features and symptoms with disease patterns. The study aimed at determining DE anatomic distribution based on advanced transvaginal ultrasound and describe the relations...

Study objective: Externally validate the AAGL staging system against surgical complexity, and compare diagnostic accuracy with rASRM stage, as was done in original publication. Design: Retrospective, diagnostic accuracy study SETTING: : Multicentre (Sydney, Australia) PATIENTS: : 317 patients (January 2016 - October 2021) were used in the final...

Background Endometriosis, which affects 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth, is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease with a high symptom burden and adverse socioemotional impacts. There is a need for an accessible, cost-effective, and low-burden intervention to support individuals in managing their endometriosis condition. Objective This st...

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy that is highly prevalent in women of Indian ethnicity. Clinical practice guidelines do not adequately consider ethnic–cultural differences in the diagnosing and care of women with PCOS. This study aimed to understand co-morbidities, key concerns, quality of life (QoL), and diag...

Study Objective We aim to assess the performance of a modified AAGL (mAAGL) endometriosis classification system and its inter-observer reproducibility. Design Retrospective diagnostic accuracy & inter-observer reproducibility study. Setting 2 gynecology units in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. Patients or Participants Patients with suspected end...

Study Objective We aim to externally validate the “2021 AAGL Endometriosis Classification” system. Design A multicenter, retrospective, diagnostic accuracy study. Setting 2 gynecology units in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. Patients or Participants Patients with suspected endometriosis who underwent laparoscopy between January 2016 and October...

Background: Women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) have fewer oocytes than would be expected at their age. While a decrease in ovarian reserve is a normal part of ageing, some women experience a decrease beyond what is physiologically expected due to normal age-related decline. Optimal management of women with DOR remains unclear, with medical...

Previous quantitative research has shown that cannabis use, mostly illicit, is used for symptom management amongst those with endometriosis living in Australia or New Zealand, but the drivers and barriers for use of legal, medicinal cannabis in this population are currently unclear. This study sought to investigate, via online focus-groups, the per...

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy that is highly prevalent in women of Indian ethnicity. Clinical practice guidelines do not adequately consider ethnic-cultural differences in the care of women with PCOS. This study aimed to explore ethnic Indian women’s experiences with PCOS diagnosis and management, their con...

Background Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, have traditionally used the kānuka tree as part of their healing system, Rongoā Māori, and the oil from the kānuka tree has demonstratable anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. This trial investigated the efficacy and safety of a 3% kānuka oil (KO) cream compared to vehicle control...

Objective Menstrual cycle-related conditions, such as dysmenorrhea and heavy bleeding, are common amongst those under 25 years. Despite having significant impact on work, education, and social activities, most do not seek medical advice, preferring to self-manage their symptoms. We aimed to determine if access to a web-based resource was a feasible...

BACKGROUND Background: Endometriosis, affecting 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth, is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease, with high symptom burden and adverse socio-emotional impacts. There is a need for an accessible, cost-effective and low burden intervention to support individuals in managing their endometriosis condition. OBJECTIVE...

Introduction : Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex lifelong disorder. While previous research reported on the effectiveness of acupuncture for PCOS symptoms, robust information on how PCOS is treated in community clinical practice remains sparse. This study explores how practitioners with training and certification in biomedicine and acup...

Menstrual health literacy has a direct impact on young peoples’ quality of life, health, academic and professional performance. In Australia, the key learning area of Health and Physical Education [HPE] provides opportunities for students to develop menstrual health literacy. This paper reports on the findings of a survey of 5007 young Australian w...

Graphical abstract: Abstract: Endometriosis is a common yet under-recognised chronic disease with one in nine (more than 830,000) women and those assigned female at birth diagnosed with endometriosis by the age of 44 years in Australia. In 2018, Australia was the first country to develop a roadmap and blueprint to tackle endometriosis in a natio...

Objective To externally validate the "2021 AAGL Endometriosis Classification" staging system. Design Retrospective, diagnostic accuracy study Setting Multicentre Population or Sample Two hundred and seventy-two endometriosis patients (January 2016-October 2021) Methods Three independent observers analysed coded surgical data to assign an AAGL surgi...

Objectives: To determine the impact of the diagnostic test method (clinical, diagnostic imaging, or diagnostic laparoscopy) of endometriosis on the individual’s sense of control over their disease and their perceived access to social supports. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: International. Population: 1,634 people aged 18-55 who had re...

Background Acupuncture is a popular treatment for women’s health. Several trials and meta-analysis have been published in recent years on key women’s health conditions but it is unclear if this has led to any changes in clinical practice or referrals from other health professionals. The aim of this survey was to explore if, how, and why, aspects of...

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in women is a term that encompasses a range of conditions, including endometriosis, vulvodynia, painful bladder syndrome and adenomyosis. Given the impact on penetrative sex, fertility and potentially motherhood, CPP may also impact on women's identities as a wife or partner, a mother, and a woman. The aim of this study wa...

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) causes important negative effects on quality of life. Endometriosis is the most common cause of CPP in females, and diagnostic delay is over six years internationally. Data remain scarce for CPP impact or diagnostic delay in Aotearoa New Zealand. This study used an online survey to explore the impact of CPP on various life...

Background Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) causes non-cyclical pelvic pain, period pain, fatigue and other painful symptoms. Current medical and surgical management strategies are often not sufficient to manage these symptoms and may lead to uptake of other therapies. Aims To determine the prevalence of allied health (AH) and complementary therapy (CM)...

Objective: This study sought to investigate the perceptions, barriers, and drivers associated with medicinal cannabis use among Australian women with primary dysmenorrhea. A qualitative study via virtual focus groups involving 26 women experiencing regular, moderate, or greater menstrual pain explored categories including cost, associated stigma,...

Introduction: Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women worldwide, with most experiencing difficulties achieving adequate symptom control. These difficulties have been compounded by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic due to worldwide shifts in health care resource allocation. As cannabis is a relatively common form of self-management in endometriosis, th...

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) causes important negative effects on quality of life. Endometriosis is the most common cause of CPP in females, and diagnostic delay is over six years internationally. Data remain scarce for CPP impact or diagnostic delay in Aotearoa New Zealand. This study used an online survey to explore the impact of CPP on various life...

Menstrual cycle-related conditions, such as dysmenorrhea and heavy bleeding, are common amongst those under 25. Despite having significant impact on work, education, and social activities, most do not seek medical advice, preferring to self-manage their symptoms. We aimed to determine if access to a web-based resource could improve health literacy,...

Objective: Menstrual cycle-related conditions, such as dysmenorrhea and heavy bleeding, are common amongst those under 25 years. Despite having significant impact on work, education, and social activities, most do not seek medical advice, preferring to self-manage their symptoms. We aimed to determine if access to a web-based resource could improve...

Introduction: Endometriosis is a difficult to manage condition associated with a significant disease burden. High levels of illicit cannabis use for therapeutic purposes have been previously reported by endometriosis patients in Australia and New Zealand (NZ). Although access to legal medicinal cannabis (MC) is available through medical prescriptio...

Background In 2017, revision of the Misuse of Drugs Act in New Zealand (NZ) allowed all medical practitioners to prescribe cannabidiol (CBD), a non-euphoriant constituent of cannabis. More information is needed on its therapeutic potential. This is an audit of all patients prescribed CBD from a single private clinic (Cannabis Care, Henderson, New Z...

Background Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common gynaecological condition accounting for 20% of all gynaecological referrals. There are wide ranges of causes with overlapping symptomatology, therefore the management of the condition is a formidable challenge for clinicians. The aetiology of CPP is heterogeneous and in many cases, no clear diagnosis...

Background Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) causes non-cyclical pelvic pain, period pain, fatigue and other painful symptoms. Current medical and surgical management strategies are often not sufficient to manage these symptoms and may lead to uptake of other therapies. Aims To determine the prevalence of allied health (AH) and complementary therapy (CM) u...

Study Objective We aimed to review the effectiveness and safety of surgical interventions in the management of patients experiencing chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), which excluds those with pain known to be caused by i) endometriosis; ii) adenomyosis; iii) primary dysmenorrhoea; iv) active chronic pelvic inflammatory disease; v) irritable bowe...

Aim This systematic review aimed to determine the effect of aerobic exercise interventions, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), on liver fat in adults. A secondary aim was to investigate the interaction between total weekly exercise volume and exercise-related energy expenditure and c...

Endometriosis is known to impact work productivity. The COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in a shift in working practices for many, with an increase in working from home and/or flexible working hours. The aim of this online cross‐sectional study was to determine if these changes resulted in changes in symptom management and productivity in Australian peop...

Background The use of cannabis for symptoms of endometriosis was investigated utilising retrospective archival data from Strainprint Technologies Ltd., a Canadian data technology company with a mobile phone application that tracks a range of data including dose, mode of administration, chemovar and their effects on various self-reported outcomes, i...

Background Acupuncture is growing in popularity as a treatment option for women’s health worldwide with reported increasing usage in the last ten years. A significant number of clinical trials and meta-analysis are now published on aspects of women’s health treatment with acupuncture. The aim of this survey was to explore if, how and why, aspects o...

Objective: To assess the general population's knowledge regarding the utility and availability of tools to diagnosis endometriosis, with a focus on ultrasound. Design: An international cross-sectional online survey study was performed between August and October 2019. Setting and population: 5301 respondents, representing 73 countries. Methods...

Introduction Menstrual cycle-related conditions, such as dysmenorrhea and heavy bleeding, are common amongst those under 25. Despite having significant impact on work, education and social activities, most do not seek medical advice, preferring to self-manage their symptoms. This pilot pre- and post-test study aimed to determine if a web-based inte...

Background There is a need for evidence-based guidance on complementary medicines and therapies (CMT) use during pregnancy due to high prevalence of use and lack of guidance on the balance of benefit and harms. Aim Evaluate the extent to which current clinical practice guidelines relevant to Australian healthcare professionals make clear and unamb...

Background: Vulvodynia is a condition characterised by pain in the vulva lasting more than three months and for which no obvious aetiology can be found. It affects around 8% of women and has significant negative impacts on quality of life. There is a paucity of research on healthcare management pathways and the use of evidence-based treatments in...

Background The use of cannabis for symptoms of endometriosis was investigated utilising retrospective archival data from Strainprint Technologies Ltd., a Canadian data technology company with a mobile phone application that tracks a range of data including dose, mode of administration, chemovar and their effect on various self-reported outcomes, in...

Background Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in women is persistent, intermittent cyclical and non-cyclical lower abdominal pain, lasting for more than 6 months. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a popular treatment option for women’s health conditions, but little is known about how treatment for CPP is delivered by TCM practitioners. The aim of this s...

Objective: To determine the acceptability and feasibility of acupuncture for the treatment of endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain. Design: A prospective, randomized controlled feasibility study. Setting: Outpatient setting in Sydney, Australia. Subjects: Participants who were aged 18-45 years, had a confirmed laparoscopic diagnosis of endomet...

Background: Endometriosis causes deleterious effects on the lives of sufferers across multiple domains impacting quality of life. Commonly utilized pharmaceutical interventions offer suboptimal efficacy in addition to potentially intolerable side effects for many women. There is some evidence for dietary therapies reducing endometriosis symptoms, b...