Geographic disparities in disruptions to abortion care in Louisiana at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Prior research identified a significant decline in the number of abortions in Louisiana at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as increases in second-trimester abortions and decreases in medication abortions. This study examines how service disruptions in particular areas of the state disparately affected access to abortion care based on geography.

Study design

We collected monthly service data from Louisiana's abortion clinics (January 2018-May 2020) and conducted mystery client calls to determine whether clinics were scheduling appointments at pandemic onset (April-May 2020). We used segmented regression to assess whether service disruptions modified the main pandemic effects on the number, timing, and type of abortions using stratified models and intera

SUBMITTER: Berglas NF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9339017 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature