MP21-19 THE RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A COHORT OF MEN USING AT-HOME FERTILITY TESTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP21-19 THE RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A COHORT OF MEN USING AT-HOME FERTILITY TESTS IN THE UNITED STATES Jad Badreddine, Nick Sellke, Stephen Rhodes, Michael Callegari, Paul Simon, Nannan Thirumavalavan, and Ramy Abou Ghayda Jad BadreddineJad Badreddine More articles by this author , Nick SellkeNick Sellke More articles by this author , Stephen RhodesStephen Rhodes More articles by this author , Michael CallegariMichael Callegari More articles by this author , Paul Simon Paul Simon More articles by this author , Nannan ThirumavalavanNannan Thirumavalavan More articles by this author , and Ramy Abou GhaydaRamy Abou Ghayda More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003246.19AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Infertility is a global health concern that affects couples worldwide. Economic, racial, and geographic disparities in reproductive medicine have long affected access to fertility care. These inequalities further worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic as fertility care services were systematically paused and treatments were delayed. At-home fertility tests emerged as a seemingly convenient, affordable and accessible option for all men seeking initial semen analysis testing and screening. We aim to study the racial and socioeconomic characteristics of a cohort of men utilizing at-home sperm testing kits in the United States over 3 years. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 5,822 men who requested semen analysis at Give Legacy, Inc. (Legacy) facilities from 2019 to 2021. The demographic characteristics of these men were collected including their age, race/ethnicity, and place of residence. Further, the weighted median household income of Legacy customers was calculated using their personal ZIP codes and corresponding median income data from the U.S. census bureau. RESULTS: The mean age (SD) of this cohort was 34.9±7.3 years. Among these 5,822 men, there were 3,936 (67.6%) normozoospermic men and 1,886 (32.3%) oligozoospermic men. The group consisted of predominantly white men (64.9%) with only 5.2% Black, 5.4% Latino, 8.9% Asian, 3.1% Arab, 2% Native Hawaiian, 2.4% Indian American, and 8.2% other groups. The geographic distribution of participants showed a majority of men from the Northeast (31.6%) and Pacific (23.4%) regions. The median household income of a Legacy customer is $108,858; significantly higher than the U.S. median household income of $70,784 (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the fact that at-home, mail-in kits provide a better and more affordable access to initial fertility care, ethnic minorities and lower socioeconomic classes are still underrepresented in the population of men seeking fertility testing in this cohort. Further research is needed to understand the racial and socioeconomic drivers of the existing disparities in fertility care. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e293 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Jad Badreddine More articles by this author Nick Sellke More articles by this author Stephen Rhodes More articles by this author Michael Callegari More articles by this author Paul Simon More articles by this author Nannan Thirumavalavan More articles by this author Ramy Abou Ghayda More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...