Influence of education on risk of hysterectomy before age 45 years

In a population of 4,278 women aged 36-44 years identified from Massachuset ts Town Books between 1995 and 1997, relative to more highly educated women , those who completed only their high school education were about four time s more likely (95% confidence interval: 1.8, 10.8) to have undergone hyster ectomy, regardless of smoking status, body mass index, or medical indicatio ns for the hysterectomy. Possible explanations are that less educated women may delay seeking health services for gynecologic problems resulting in hy sterectomy as the last treatment option or may be offered hysterectomy as t he primary treatment option by their physicians. Future studies should asse ss diagnoses that lead to hysterectomy and the interval between onset of th e condition and delivery of medical care.