We’re excited to share a new CORE study!
Dr. Renee D. Kramer and Dr. Jenny A. Higgins of CORE, along with Dr. Marguerite E. Burns, Lori R. Freedman & Debra B. Stulberg, published a new study in the journal Contraception titled “Prevalence and experiences of Wisconsin women turned away from Catholic settings without receiving reproductive care.” The paper addresses women’s experiences of being turned away from Catholic healthcare settings without receiving care. The researchers surveyed 675 women in Wisconsin and analyzed the data.
Key findings:
• Experiences of being turned away from a Catholic healthcare setting without receiving desired contraceptive or fertility care were more common among Wisconsin women living in rural counties served by Catholic sole community hospitals compared to other rural and urban areas.
• About 1-in-12 women in Wisconsin rural counties served by Catholic sole community hospitals reported ever being turned away from a Catholic healthcare setting without receiving desired reproductive care.
• Women who were turned away by hospitals reported long delays in accessing care elsewhere, especially when seeking tubal ligation; in some cases, this led to more invasive procedures or unintended pregnancy.
As Catholic healthcare expands locally and nationally, it is important to better understand how restrictions on healthcare delivery influence patients’ lives. Read the full study here.