Search

ObjectiveTo assess attitudes and factors that influence public opinion in the general US population toward insurance coverage and provision of infertility care to lower income patients.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingOnline.PatientsA nationally representative sample of US residents.InterventionsQuestionnaire with multiple choice and open response questions.Main outcome measuresPublic attitudes toward in vitro fertilization and infertility care coverage for lower income patients.ResultsA total of 1,027 (90.2%) participants completed the survey, among whom 620 (60.4%) had private insurance, 275 (26.8%) had Medicare/Medicaid, and 56 (5.5%) were uninsured. The majority (916, 89.2%) did not consider infertility a disease. Over half of the respondents (568, 55.3%) supported private insurance coverage of infertility services, including for in vitro fertilization. Most respondents, 735 (71.6%) believed that the prevalence and psychosocial impact of infertility were equal among the lower and higher income people. The majority of respondents with an opinion (512, 67.6%) believed that doctors should provide infertility treatments regardless of the income level of the patients. Of supporters, 40.1% believed in the right to have a family regardless of income, and 38.2% believed that doctors had a social responsibility to provide infertility services. After adjusting for covariates, age