Does vasectomy explain the difference in tubal sterilization rates between black and white women?
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether the observed difference in tubal sterilization rates between black and white women is dependent on racial/ethnic differences in vasectomy rates.


METHODS
Secondary analysis of national, cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
2002 National Survey of Family Growth.


METHODS
Women 15 to 44 years old with a current partner who were able to provide information about their partner's vasectomy status.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
The primary outcome was tubal sterilization. Among women with a current partner who had not undergone vasectomy, a multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the effects of race/ethnicity on tubal sterilization after adjusting for potential confounders.


RESULTS
Of the 3,391 women in the sample, 14% of white women had a current partner who had undergone vasectomy compared with 5% of Hispanic women and 4% of black women. Among the 3,064 women whose partners had not undergone vasectomy, black women were more likely to undergo tubal sterilization (odds ratio: 1.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.1, 2.2) on the basis of adjusted multivariable analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
After controlling for partner vasectomy status, black women were still more likely to undergo tubal sterilization than white women.
Borrero
Sonya
S
Divison of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. borrerosp@upmc.edu
Schwarz
Eleanor B
EB
Reeves
Matthew F
MF
Bost
James E
JE
Creinin
Mitchell D
MD
Ibrahim
Said A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013246:Sterilization, Tubal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014659:Vasectomy; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*