Recent evidence suggests an increased demand for vasectomies following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade. Limited published information on vasectomies provided by publicly funded agencies exists. This study seeks to understand and document vasectomy services in Title X Family Planning health centers, including models of care, provider training, and financial strategies.
Methods:
We held qualitative interviews with 22 Title X organizations. Through an iterative, thematic analysis, our research team coded the data to produce findings illustrating the landscape of vasectomy service provision in Title X Family Planning health centers.
Results:
This qualitative research study indicated 3 central components of vasectomy care in publicly funded Title X clinics: models of care, finance models, and provider training. Individual approaches varied considerably depending on organization size, funding, provider types, and policy climate.
Conclusions:
This study confirms that a host of barriers exist to providing vasectomy services in publicly funded or “safety net” clinics, including: (1) Limited opportunities for provider training, (2) federal and state 30-day waiting periods for informed consent, and (3) low reimbursement rates. The study informs options for addressing these barriers in publicly funded settings.