(256) INFLUENCE OF SOCIOPOLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES ON VASECTOMY DECISIONS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY AMONG PATIENTS

Abstract Introduction In recent years, vasectomy rates have strongly positively correlated with the emergence of societal and economic issues, such as The Great Recession and rising unemployment rates. Since 2020, there have been numerous events of sociopolitical and economic importance in the U.S., including the emergence of COVID-19 as a global pandemic; subsequent domestic consumer price inflation; and the reversal of federal protections for the right to abortion under Roe v Wade. Following the June 2022 reversal, vasectomy interest rose significantly despite no direct impact to male contraception. This increase suggests an understudied influence of societal issues on individuals’ reproductive healthcare decisions. Objective Our objective was to explore patient perspectives of how recent sociopolitical and economic issues (ie, Dobbs v Jackson ruling, post-COVID consumer price inflation) influenced their vasectomy decision and timing. Methods We interviewed 20 men aged 18 years or older who had initiated a vasectomy consult or appointment after June 2022. Participants were purposively selected based on their age (those 30 years or younger); men with no biological children at time of vasectomy; and men who indicated on an intake survey that sociopolitical or economic issues factored into their vasectomy decision. A qualitative descriptive thematic analysis approach was used to develop a codebook that included deductive and inductive coding. The constant comparative method was used to review coding and identify similar and differing themes across participant experiences. Results Many participants expressed that outside of personal reasons for pursuing vasectomy, sociopolitical and economic issues were significant motivators for their vasectomy decision and timing. Several described how increased discourse and uncertainty around all forms of contraception access following Dobbs fostered their desire to be “proactive” through vasectomy. Others lamented the unprecedented difficulty providing for a child given significant economic inflation of food costs and other necessities. Conclusions Recent sociopolitical and economic issues significantly influenced male patients’ decisions to undergo a vasectomy despite no direct impact to male contraception options. Future research directions include intersectional exploration with patients from diverse racial, cultural, and geographic backgrounds. Disclosure No.