I remember reading psychologist studies where doctors are twice as likely to diagnose a woman with depression compared to a man with an identical profile, and on average women have a higher chance of correctly getting an diagnose of depression.
I also remember seeing a study that sent identical profiles to general doctors but with the profile gender randomized. The result as I recall was that female patients were more likely to be believed in regard to pain and self-reported symptoms, but those men that did still get diagnosed were more likely to get active treatments.
I think it's both. The GP doesn't seem to take you seriously if you appear to be a young healthy dude.
I once hurt my ankle really bad while doing surfing and the doctor made fun of me "being girly" and to go home and put some ice on it.
I just wanted to make sure there was nothing broken.
Only recently while thinking about it I realised how bad his attitude was and it certainly made me think at that time that it is in my head and I shouldn't go to the doctor.
In my experience it's not the doctors, who without exception have always been pretty good - but the clerical / reception staff. I've rarely been made to feel so unwelcome anywhere else.
It's gotten to the point where I just stump up the cash and go private, although now I feel things have gotten better with the introduction of app based consultations via the NHS, which I'm registered for but haven't needed to try out yet.
Are you claiming that this fact is explained by the doctors actions and not by the gender norm that men should just bear with minor illness?