title: Support for infertility treatment in Japan: differences in perceptions between female clients and staff.
abstract: The aim of this study was to clarify the perceptions of both infertile women accessing support services from local governments related to infertility treatment and the public servants providing that assistance. This cross-sectional descriptive study surveyed 62 local government staff members who managed medical expense subsidy programs for infertility treatment in the Hokuriku region of Japan and 84 infertile women attending the clinics. We measured the levels of satisfaction regarding the support services from local governments and the perceptions of the importance of each type of support. The data were analyzed descriptively and included factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. Local governments' support services were analyzed by using four factors: providing information, education and consultation, improving existing services, and improving access. Both the women and the staff endorsed the importance of information provision, the easing of restrictions on subsidies for infertility treatment, reconsideration of the application procedures, and improvement of the publicizing of the available subsidies.
authors.affiliation: Toyama Prefectural Mental Health Center, Toyama 939-8222, Japan. chikako.takabayashi@pref.toyama.lg.jp
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Takabayashi
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D005378:Financial Support; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D007564:Japan; D009111:Local Government; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D057240:Patient Preference; D011336:Probability; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires