UK Women Are the Angriest in Europe, Study Reveals
A recent global study has uncovered that UK women are among the angriest in Europe, according to findings from a survey conducted across over 140 countries. The research, part of the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, highlights significant disparities in emotional well-being between the UK and other European nations.
Rising Levels of Anger and Emotional Struggles
The study found that nearly one in four British women reported feeling ‘angry’, compared to around one in seven women in EU countries. This is a notable increase, with UK women being 47% more likely to express anger than the previous year. In contrast, anger levels have remained relatively stable across the EU.
The data also reveals that emotional struggles are widespread. Three in ten UK women said they felt ‘sadness’, which is slightly higher than the EU average of 25%. Similarly, around four in ten women in both the UK and EU reported feeling ‘worry’. These figures underscore the growing emotional burden faced by women in the UK.
Declining Health and Wellbeing Rankings
The UK’s position in the global index for women’s health and wellbeing has been on the decline. The country ranked 48th out of 144 nations in the latest report, down from 41st in 2025 and 37th in 2024. This drop highlights a concerning trend in the nation’s healthcare system.
East Asian countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore dominated the top rankings globally. Several European nations also outperformed the UK, including Latvia (second), Poland (fifth), Germany (seventh), Austria (eighth), Slovakia (ninth), Switzerland (tenth), and Denmark (eleventh).
The worst-performing countries in the index were Chad, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Among European nations, Ukraine ranked lowest at 106th place. Afghanistan, which had previously ranked at the bottom, did not participate in the latest survey.
Chronic Health Issues and Pain
The survey also highlighted worsening physical health conditions among UK women. A third of women reported living with chronic health problems, an increase of 7% compared to the previous year. Five years ago, less than two in ten reported having chronic health issues.
Additionally, 30% of UK women said they experienced daily pain, up by 10% from the previous year. When the index was first launched in 2022, less than a quarter of women reported daily pain, indicating a clear upward trend in health challenges.
Frustration with the NHS
Health experts have pointed to growing frustration among UK women regarding the gap between their expectations and the care they receive from the National Health Service (NHS). Anna O’Sullivan, co-founder of CensHERship and founder of FutureFemHealth, emphasized that years of long waiting lists and delayed diagnoses have left many women feeling unheard.
She stated, “These figures reflect years of long waiting lists, delayed diagnoses, and women’s health being treated as an afterthought. We’ve seen a significant increase in awareness and discussion about women’s health over the last few years—but access to care has not kept up with that.”
O’Sullivan added that these findings should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers to invest in long-term, sustainable healthcare solutions. She stressed the importance of timely healthcare, trusted information, and earlier diagnosis to prevent conditions from becoming more complex and costly.
Challenges in Accessing Healthcare
A separate survey of 2,000 UK women revealed that nearly seven out of ten had experienced delays in seeking NHS care within the last five years. Two in five women reported feeling ‘frustration’ or ‘anxiety’ due to difficulties in accessing the healthcare system.
Half of women who reported negative feelings about their healthcare had experienced long waiting times or difficulty getting appointments. A third experienced delays in diagnosis. Furthermore, 38% of women overall said their concerns were not taken seriously by medical professionals.
This issue was more prevalent among younger women aged 18 to 34, with 47% reporting that their concerns were dismissed, compared to 31% of women aged 55 and over.
Calls for Systemic Change
Tim Simpson, a senior manager at Hologic, noted that the annual index reflects a “continual decline” in women’s healthcare in the UK. He emphasized that women are increasingly frustrated with delays in care and a loss of confidence in the system.
Simpson stated, “Women are telling us they want earlier diagnosis and faster access to care. Improving women’s health will take continued commitment from policymakers, the NHS, clinicians, and industry working together to deliver the changes women are asking for.”
Government Response
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the need for improvement, stating that it is unacceptable for the UK to lag behind other countries in women’s health. They highlighted the government’s renewed Women’s Health Strategy aimed at addressing health inequalities and building an NHS that listens to women.
The spokesperson added, “We’ve already delivered 5.2 million extra NHS appointments in our first year, brought down gynaecology waiting lists, and made the morning-after pill free at pharmacies across England. But we know there’s much more to do, and we can promise women across the country we won’t stop until each of their voices are not only heard, but served too.”
