Use of Population Data to Characterize Racialized and Non-Racialized Ontarians Who Self-Report a Past Hysterectomy

Abstract

North American researchers report that women who undergo a hysterectomy for benign conditions are threatened by health disparities. Few studies have examined race and health in Ontario women who underwent a past hysterectomy. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to describe and compare health features of racialized and non-racialized women. Using the most appropriate Canada’s Community Health Survey (CCHS) dataset, this study’s sample consisted of all Ontario residing female respondents (n = 1,730) who self-reported having had a hysterectomy with no cancer history. Socio-demographic and health-related variables were extracted in accordance with the Gender and Equity Health Indicator Framework (Clark & Bierman, 2009). Chi-squares and z-scores were calculated to compare racialized and non-racialized women health indicators. Many of the significant differences were found within the non-medical determinants of health domain. Study implications reinforce the need for aggregated gender data by race in Ontario to address health equity.

Keywords

• Hysterectomy
• Ontario
• Women
• long-term health indicators