We asked 1,009 women about their health and healthcare experiences. This is what they told us.

The Voice of 1,000 Women is Luma’s first research study — and the largest community-led picture of women’s health in WA to date. Instead of drawing on existing research, service data or expert opinion, it starts with women themselves.

The needs of women’s health aren’t always seen, heard or understood. Women’s voices are the key to uncovering both the challenges and the solutions — and this report turns them into evidence for service design, funding decisions and raising awareness of the health issues women really face.

Key findings:

  • 1 in 5 women needed mental health support in the past two years but didn’t access it — the biggest unmet need in care found in this study.
  • 3 in 10 women are living in poor health.
  • 1 in 3 women are not confident in their health knowledge.
  • Cost is the number one barrier to care in almost every service. The exceptions are cancer screening, community services and culturally specific care — where shame and stigma come first.
  • Only 42% of First Nations women rate their mental health positively, compared to 70% of non-First Nations women — the largest inequity in the study.
  • 7 in 10 women want holistic, integrated care — physical, emotional and social wellbeing under one roof.
  • 47% of WA women are carers, peaking at 60% in midlife — and one in three carers feel emotionally drained.

What we found

  • Most WA women rate their health positively — but 30% are living in poor health. That’s over 357,000 women across the state living in poor health [1]. The women struggling most are young women, First Nations women, LGBTQIA+ women, women in lower-income households and women in regional WA.
  • Young women rank the lowest of any age group when it comes to self-ratings of health, mental health, how well supported they feel, and health literacy.
  • The general practitioner is the first choice for where women turn for health information, at every age and stage of life, with 75% ranking their GP in their top three sources of health information. After the GP, women turn to female friends (54%) and family (46%) for advice.
  • Almost half of WA women (47%) are providing unpaid care. For women in midlife, they’re often caring for children and ageing parents at the same time, reflecting a generation caught in the middle. Carers told us they need better access, lower costs, respite, clear information, and to be listened to and believed.
  • Women’s health priorities change at every stage of life. Young women are focused on mental health, body image and hormonal health. Women in midlife are concerned about hormonal health and caring duties. After 50, women are more focused on physical fitness, chronic conditions, preventative screening and staying connected.

In their words:

‘The biggest gap in women’s healthcare is being actually heard and listened to.’

‘People fall through the cracks because services either double up, or don’t exist.’

‘I can’t pour from an empty cup.’

‘Preventative health should be the top priority.’

‘I just want medical practitioners that listen to my concerns and don’t just brush me off.’

‘They need to give more mental health places for women – it’s hard to find.’

‘There’s still a long way to go in believing women and their symptoms and also research into women’s health conditions.’

‘The main improvement needed is education for women’

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Voice of 1,000 Women? The Voice of 1,000 Women is a statewide study of women’s health in Western Australia, conducted by Luma in partnership with Painted Dog Research. In 2025, 1,009 WA women aged 18 and over shared how they rate their health, their experiences of the health system, the barriers they face and what they want changed.

Who conducted the research? The survey was conducted by Painted Dog Research, an independent WA research agency, on behalf of Luma — a not-for-profit women’s health organisation that has supported Western Australian women for 50 years.

What were the key findings? Mental health is the single biggest unmet need in WA women’s health services, with 1 in 5 women needing support but not accessing it. Cost is the number one barrier to care. One in three women lack confidence in their health knowledge. Almost half of WA women are carers, and health experiences are significantly worse for First Nations women, LGBTQIA+ women, young women and women in regional areas.

How is this study different from other women’s health research? This study puts women’s voices alone at the heart of healthcare. It does not draw from existing research, service data or expert opinion — every finding comes directly from what 1,009 WA women said about their own health and experiences.

Who can use this report? The report is publicly available for anyone — women, health professionals, service providers, policymakers, researchers, journalists and community organisations. Luma encourages its use to inform service design, funding decisions and public awareness of women’s health in WA.

How do I cite The Voice of 1,000 Women? Luma. The Voice of 1,000 Women: A statewide study of women’s health in Western Australia. Perth: Luma; 2026.