Eden Noah Gelgoot1, Margot Kelly-Hedrick2, Skye A Miner3, Stephanie Robins4, Peter Chan5, Carolyn Ells6, Hananel Holzer7, Kirk Lo8, Neal Mahutte9, Sophia Ouhilal9, Togas Tulandi10, Phyllis Zelkowitz11. 1. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada. 2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada; Department of Sociology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montréal, Canada. 5. McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada; Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montréal, Canada. 6. Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montréal, Canada; Department of Medicine, Biomedical Ethics Unit, McGill University, Montréal, Canada. 7. McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada; Department of Medicine, Biomedical Ethics Unit, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel; Fertility Department, Obstetrics & Gynecology Division, Hadassah University Hospitals, Jerusalem, Israel. 8. Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. 9. Montreal Fertility Centre, Montréal, Canada. 10. McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada. 11. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montréal, Canada. Electronic address: phyllis.zelkowitz@mcgill.ca.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine if and how factors associated with infertility-related concerns and opportunity to discuss concerns differ between male and female fertility patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 313 female and 254 male patients recruited from Canadian fertility clinics. An online survey asked about sociodemographic characteristics, psychological distress, the severity of psychosocial concerns on a scale of 0 (not concerned) to 5 (very concerned) related to fertility treatment, and their opportunity and desire to discuss concerns with healthcare providers (HCPs). RESULTS: For women, higher stress, educational attainment and being childless were associated with higher concern (F(6, 287) = 14.73, p < .001). For men, higher stress, being religious and longer treatment duration were associated with higher concern (F(8, 222) = 9.87, p < .001). No significant difference existed between men's and women's average concern scores (t(558) = -1.62, p = .11) or opportunity to discuss concerns (t(149) = 0.28, p = .78). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate an unmet need and desire for support among subgroups of patients who were concerned about psychosocial issues related to infertility, but did not have the opportunity to discuss these issues with HCPs. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: There is a need to tailor resources to address the concerns of male and female fertility patients from diverse sociodemographic backgrounds and with different fertility histories.
OBJECTIVE: To examine if and how factors associated with infertility-related concerns and opportunity to discuss concerns differ between male and female fertility patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 313 female and 254 male patients recruited from Canadian fertility clinics. An online survey asked about sociodemographic characteristics, psychological distress, the severity of psychosocial concerns on a scale of 0 (not concerned) to 5 (very concerned) related to fertility treatment, and their opportunity and desire to discuss concerns with healthcare providers (HCPs). RESULTS: For women, higher stress, educational attainment and being childless were associated with higher concern (F(6, 287) = 14.73, p < .001). For men, higher stress, being religious and longer treatment duration were associated with higher concern (F(8, 222) = 9.87, p < .001). No significant difference existed between men's and women's average concern scores (t(558) = -1.62, p = .11) or opportunity to discuss concerns (t(149) = 0.28, p = .78). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate an unmet need and desire for support among subgroups of patients who were concerned about psychosocial issues related to infertility, but did not have the opportunity to discuss these issues with HCPs. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: There is a need to tailor resources to address the concerns of male and female fertility patients from diverse sociodemographic backgrounds and with different fertility histories.