Korkidakis Ann, Wang Veronica, Sabbagh Riwa, Heyward Quetrell, Hacker Michele R, Thornton Kim L, Penzias Alan S
Fertility Clinic, Boston IVF, Waltham, Massachusetts; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Department of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Fertil Steril. 2025 Apr;123(4):709-717. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.10.036. Epub 2024 Oct 31.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between sociodemographic factors and utilization of infertility services by race and ethnicity in a state with a comprehensive infertility mandate. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. EXPOSURE: Initial infertility evaluation and treatment utilization. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence of reproductive-aged women who reside in Massachusetts presenting for initial consult vs. census-based estimates was calculated for each racial and ethnic group. Age at initial consult, insurance coverage, drive time to nearest affiliated center, and neighborhood deprivation as measured by Area Deprivation Index (ADI) were considered determinants of treatment utilization in regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 16,160 women presenting for an infertility consult from 2010-2021 met inclusion criteria. Compared with census estimates, Non-Hispanic (NH) Asian and NH White individuals were overrepresented in initial consults, whereas the NH Black and Hispanic populations were underrepresented throughout the study period. Mean age at presentation was higher in NH Black women compared with the NH Asian reference group (35.7 ± 5.1 vs. 34.6 ± 4.4 years old). A lower proportion of Hispanic and NH Black women had private insurance (78% and 79%, respectively) compared with 86% of NH Asian women. Over a fifth of Hispanic and NH Black women lived in the most disadvantaged ADI quintile (23% and 21%, respectively) compared with 6% of the reference population. Overall, the absence of private insurance, greater neighborhood disadvantage, and increased driving distance were associated with lower treatment utilization (odds ratio [OR]: 0.79 [95% confidence interval 0.71-0.87], for other vs. private insurance; OR: 0.62 [0.53-0.72], for ADI quintile 5 vs. 1, OR: 0.84 [0.72-0.97] for drive time 15-30 vs. <15 minutes), whereas age was not (OR: 0.96 [0.93-1.00] for each 5-year increase). CONCLUSIONS: Relative to their numbers in the broader population of reproductive-aged women in Massachusetts, the NH Black and Hispanic populations were the most underrepresented racial and ethnic groups seen for infertility evaluation at our center. These individuals were less likely to have private insurance coverage and more likely to live in disadvantaged neighborhoods, which are variables that negatively impact infertility treatment utilization.
目的:在一个有全面不孕症规定的州,研究社会人口因素与不同种族和族裔的不孕症服务利用之间的关联。 设计:回顾性队列研究。 暴露因素:首次不孕症评估和治疗利用情况。 主要观察指标:计算居住在马萨诸塞州的每个种族和族裔群体中前来进行首次咨询的育龄妇女的患病率与基于人口普查的估计值。在回归分析中,将首次咨询时的年龄、保险覆盖情况、到最近附属中心的驾车时间以及用地区贫困指数(ADI)衡量的邻里贫困程度视为治疗利用的决定因素。 结果:2010年至2021年期间,共有16160名前来进行不孕症咨询的妇女符合纳入标准。与人口普查估计值相比,非西班牙裔(NH)亚洲人和NH白人在首次咨询中占比过高,而在整个研究期间,NH黑人和西班牙裔人群占比过低。NH黑人妇女首次咨询时的平均年龄高于NH亚洲参照组(35.7±5.1岁对34.6±4.4岁)。与86%的NH亚洲妇女相比,西班牙裔和NH黑人妇女拥有私人保险的比例较低(分别为78%和79%)。超过五分之一的西班牙裔和NH黑人妇女生活在ADI最不利的五分位数区域(分别为23%和21%),而参照人群中这一比例为6%。总体而言,没有私人保险、邻里劣势更大以及驾车距离增加与治疗利用率较低相关(优势比[OR]:其他保险与私人保险相比为0.79[95%置信区间0.71 - 0.87];ADI五分位数5与1相比为0.62[0.53 - 0.72];驾车时间15 - 30分钟与<15分钟相比为0.84[0.72 - 0.97]),而年龄则不然(每增加5岁的OR为0.96[0.93 - 1.00])。 结论:相对于马萨诸塞州育龄妇女总体中的数量,NH黑人和西班牙裔人群是在我们中心接受不孕症评估的种族和族裔群体中代表性最低的。这些人拥有私人保险覆盖的可能性较小,且更有可能生活在条件不利的社区,这些变量对不孕症治疗利用产生负面影响。
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