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Review
. 2010 Jun;202(6):514-21.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2010.02.039. Epub 2010 Apr 28.

Racial and ethnic disparities in benign gynecologic conditions and associated surgeries

Vanessa L Jacoby  1 , Victor Y Fujimoto, Linda C Giudice, Miriam Kuppermann, A Eugene Washington
Affiliations
Review

Racial and ethnic disparities in benign gynecologic conditions and associated surgeries

Vanessa L Jacoby et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Jun.

Abstract

Common gynecologic conditions and surgeries may vary significantly by race or ethnicity. Uterine fibroid tumors are more prevalent in black women, and black women may have larger, more numerous fibroid tumors that cause worse symptoms and greater myomectomy complications. Some, but not all, studies have found a higher prevalence of endometriosis among Asian women. Race and ethnicity are also associated with hysterectomy rate, route, and complications. Overall, the current literature has significant deficits in the identification of racial and ethnic disparities in the incidence of fibroid tumors, endometriosis, and hysterectomy. Further research is needed to better define racial and ethnic differences in these conditions and to examine the complex mechanisms that may result in associated health disparities.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentage of hysterectomies performed among women age ≥15 years by type of surgical approach and race, 1994–1999 Adapted from Keshavarz et al
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percent of women with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at the time of hysterectomy by race/ethnicity and income in the 2005 Nationwide Inpatient Sample † p <.001 * p <.05 for comparison to >$61,000, controlled for age, insurance, hysterectomy approach, indication for surgery, region, urban/rural hospital, hospital teaching status and bedsize Adapted from Jacoby et al
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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