Name
#120 - Vasectomy incidence in the Military Health System after the reversal of Roe v. Wade
Date & Time
Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Description

The United States Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (“Dobbs decision”) delivered on June 24, 2022, has already had a profound impact on reproductive health care in America. The most visible of these impacts is the restriction to abortion access in several states, however changes in utilization of other reproductive health services have been reported as well. Some studies have reported increased incidence of vasectomy after the Dobbs decision. We evaluated the incidence of vasectomy in the Military Health System (MHS) and evaluated for differences in changes in vasectomy incidence after the Dobbs decision in a state implementing restrictions on abortion access as compared to a state that did not implement such restrictions. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of all male beneficiaries in the MHS, ages 18 to 64, from 2018 to 2022. Utilizing administrative health care claims data from the MHS Data Repository, we identified all men receiving a vasectomy during the study period through the use of ICD-10 diagnostic and CPT codes; each unique beneficiary was counted for one vasectomy during the study period. Study analysis included descriptive statistics on patient demographics, rate change, time analysis, and logistic regressions for the odds of a vasectomy after the Dobbs decision and state level analysis. A total of 96,614 men received a vasectomy within the MHS, with 2022 having the highest incidence of vasectomy (22,248), representing a 19.7% increase as compared to the average from 2018-2021, or 11.8% increase with incidence in 2020 excluded. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated the greatest odds of vasectomy after the Dobbs decision was in unmarried men, dependent beneficiaries, those associated with a junior enlisted rank, and those aged 18-29; no significant differences by race were observed. Noticeable increases in the incidence of vasectomy after the release of the Dobbs decision were observed, with a relative increase from June to December 2022 of 22.1% as compared to the average of the same months from 2018-2021. Analysis by state showed that the relative increase in vasectomy after the Dobbs decision was greater in a state immediately implementing a restriction on abortion access (Texas, 29.3%) as compared to a state with no such restriction (Virginia, 10.6%). Our findings highlight the impact of the Dobbs decision on health care utilization outside of abortion and the changing landscape of reproductive health care utilization within the MHS, and how state-based restrictions on abortion access may drive utilization of vasectomy and potentially other reproductive health care services. The characterization of MHS beneficiaries receiving a vasectomy provides important insight on those most likely to utilize the service within the MHS. Disclaimer: The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, assertions, opinions, or policies of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF), the Department of Defense (DoD), or the Departments of the Army, Navy, or Air Force. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Location Name
Prince Georges Exhibit Hall A/B
Content Presented on Behalf of
Uniformed Services University
Learning Outcomes
Summarize the health system impacts of the Dobbs decision for reproductive health care access within the MHS<br />
Describe the demographic breakdown of MHS beneficiaries receiving vasectomy services<br />
Interpret changes in vasectomy service utilization within the MHS post Dobbs decision<br />
Understand how State level abortion access restrictions may drive vasectomy utilization
Session Type
Posters