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Why Are Obstetric Units in Rural Hospitals Closing Their Doors?
Author(s) -
Hung Peiyin,
Kozhimannil Katy B.,
Casey Michelle M.,
Moscovice Ira S.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
health services research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.706
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1475-6773
pISSN - 0017-9124
DOI - 10.1111/1475-6773.12441
Subject(s) - medicine , workforce , unit (ring theory) , logistic regression , prenatal care , family medicine , health care , environmental health , nursing , population , mathematics education , economics , economic growth , mathematics
Objectives To understand hospital‐ and county‐level factors for rural obstetric unit closures, using mixed methods. Data Sources Hospital discharge data from Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Statewide Inpatient Databases, American Hospital Association Annual Survey, and Area Resource File for 2010, as well as 2013–2014 telephone interviews of all 306 rural hospitals in nine states with at least 10 births in 2010. Via interview, we ascertained obstetric unit status, reasons for closures, and postclosure community capacity for prenatal care. Study Design Multivariate logistic regression and qualitative analysis were used to identify factors associated with unit closures between 2010 and 2014. Principal Findings Exactly 7.2 percent of rural hospitals in the study closed their obstetric units. These units were smaller in size, more likely to be privately owned, and located in communities with lower family income, fewer obstetricians, and fewer family physicians. Prenatal care was still available in 17 of 19 communities, but local women would need to travel an average of 29 additional miles to access intrapartum care. Conclusions Rural obstetric unit closures are more common in smaller hospitals and communities with a limited obstetric workforce. Concerns about continuity of rural maternity care arise for women with local prenatal care but distant intrapartum care.