Research on Equity in Abortion Care by TeleHealth
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Abortion in First Trimester, Abortion Early, Abortion; Attempted. Basic parameters: 14 years — 64 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Improving Health Equity by Understanding Preferences in Telehealth Abortion
Overview
This study will examine the ways in which telehealth for reproductive healthcare affects timing, costs, and follow-up care; whether telehealth reaches people in areas with greater health inequities; and the attributes of telehealth that patients want. Study surveys will be administered to interested, eligible participants: 2,000 patients seeking abortion care will complete the study, comprising of 2 groups: patients seeking medication abortion care either (1) in-person or (2) via telehealth. This project will address how telehealth services can be optimized for people of color, low-income people, and immigrants to increase digital inclusion and health equity.
Detailed description
Given the novelty of telehealth abortion services and new abortion bans, there is a critical need for research on the role of telehealth for abortion to expand equitable abortion access among groups historically marginalized in healthcare. Outside of abortion care, telehealth appears to 1) bridge geographic disparities,2) facilitate language translation,3) provide privacy and safety for immigrants with varying legal statuses, 4) decrease patient costs, and 5) require less time off work or school. At the same time, telehealth services could exacerbate inequities if patients lack technology, internet connectivity, or digital literacy. Because abortion is overregulated and highly stigmatized, research on telehealth for abortion is vital. The investigators hypothesize that telehealth is associated with several benefits compared to in-person abortion care, but is not yet reaching people in areas with greater health inequities who need these innovations most. This research can also inform the policies in states that are considering ways to support people in banned states.
Primary outcome measures
- Determine the ways in which telehealth services affect timing and time to care by comparing in-person and telehealth patients [Time frame: Baseline]
- Determine the ways in which telehealth services affect costs by comparing in-person and telehealth patients [Time frame: Baseline and 1 week]
- Determine the ways in which telehealth services affect follow-up care by comparing in-person and telehealth patients [Time frame: 1 week]
Secondary outcome measures (2)
- Investigate the patient preferences for different aspects of telehealth for abortion care among historically marginalized groups [Time frame: Baseline and 1 week]
- Investigate the barriers in telehealth for abortion care in historically marginalized groups [Time frame: Baseline and 1 week]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Must be currently or about to be obtaining medication abortion care through in-person or telehealth services
Exclusion criteria
- Not currently or about to be obtaining medication abortion care through in-person or telehealth services
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) — Oakland
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06787274 · 23-39122 · R01HD110659