Dk. Onion et al., Primary cesarean section rates in uninsured, Medicaid and insured populations of predominantly rural northern New England, J RURAL HEA, 15(1), 1999, pp. 108-112
Many studies in the United States during the past two decades have reported
consistently lower cesarean section rates in women of lower socioeconomic
status as defined by census tract, insurance status, or maternal level of e
ducational attainment. This study sought to determine whether cesarean sect
ion rates in predominantly rural northern New England are lower for lower,
compared with higher socioeconomic groups, ns they are reported nationally
and in more urban areas. Age-adjusted, primary cesarean section rates for p
rivately insured, Medicaid and uninsured women were calculated using 1990 t
o 1992 uniform hospital discharge data for Maine, New Hampshire ann Vermont
. Age-adjusted cesarean section rates for insured women (15.71 percent) wer
e significantly higher than those for Medicaid (14.35 percent) and uninsure
d (12.85 percent) women. These differences in the cesarean section rate bet
ween the insured and poorer populations in northern New England are much le
ss than those reported elsewhere in the country.