Smith College, Northampton, MA, United States.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States.
Contraception. 2022 May;109:32-36. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2021.12.010. Epub 2021 Dec 28.
Proposed legislation in Massachusetts would require public university health centers to provide medication abortion services on campus. This study assesses need for these services by investigating current travel time, costs, wait times and insurance acceptance at off-campus, abortion-providing facilities nearest to public universities in Massachusetts.
This investigation projected the total number of students obtaining medication abortions each year at the 13 Massachusetts public universities based on campus enrollment figures and age- and state-adjusted medication abortion rates. Using a cross-sectional study design, the research calculated the distance and public transit time from campuses to the nearest abortion-providing facilities. Researchers contacted facilities to determine costs, wait times and insurance acceptance.
We estimate 50 to 115 of Massachusetts public university students obtain medication abortion services each month, or 600 to 1,380 each year. Students have to travel between 2 and 42 miles to reach the nearest abortion-providing facility, with a population-weighted average distance of 19 miles each way. Travel time on public transportation to reach the nearest abortion-providing facility takes between 18 and 400 hundred minutes, with a population-weighted average of 103 minutes each way. Average cost of medication abortion was $680, and average wait time to the first available appointment was 8 days. Eight of 13 abortion-providing facilities did not have weekend appointments. All of the nearest abortion-providing facilities in Massachusetts accepted Mass Health, but one nearest facility was out of state and did not. All accepted multiple private insurance plans.
College students face cost, scheduling, and travel barriers to abortion care. Offering medication abortion on campus would reduce these barriers.
The barriers to medication abortion experienced by students attending public universities in Massachusetts fall particularly hard on female and low-income students, who are disproportionately students of color. Offering medication abortion on campus would reduce these barriers and enhance gender and racial equity on campus.
马萨诸塞州的一项拟议立法要求公立大学健康中心在校园内提供药物流产服务。本研究通过调查校外最近的、提供堕胎服务的设施的当前旅行时间、费用、等待时间和保险接受情况，评估了这些服务的需求。
这项调查根据校园入学人数和年龄及州调整后的药物流产率，预测了马萨诸塞州 13 所公立大学每年接受药物流产的学生总数。研究人员采用横断面研究设计，计算了从校园到最近堕胎服务机构的距离和公共交通时间。研究人员联系了各机构，以确定费用、等待时间和保险接受情况。
我们估计马萨诸塞州公立大学的 50 到 115 名学生每月获得药物流产服务，或每年 600 到 1380 名学生。学生必须前往 2 到 42 英里才能到达最近的堕胎服务机构，往返平均距离为 19 英里。乘坐公共交通工具前往最近的堕胎服务机构需要 18 到 400 分钟，往返平均时间为 103 分钟。药物流产的平均费用为 680 美元，第一次预约的平均等待时间为 8 天。在 13 家提供堕胎服务的机构中，有 8 家没有周末预约。马萨诸塞州所有最近的堕胎服务机构都接受了 MassHealth，但有一家最近的机构在州外，不接受。所有机构都接受了多种私人保险计划。
大学生在堕胎护理方面面临费用、时间安排和旅行方面的障碍。在校园内提供药物流产将减少这些障碍。
马萨诸塞州公立大学的学生在药物流产方面面临的障碍，尤其是对女性和低收入学生，他们不成比例地是有色人种学生。在校园内提供药物流产将减少这些障碍，并增强校园内的性别和种族公平。
