Callander, Emily, Fox, Haylee, Mills, Kyly, Stuart-Butler, Deanna, Middleton, Phillipa, Ellwood, David, Thomas, Joseph, and Flenady, Vicki (2022) Inequitable use of health services for Indigenous mothers who experience stillbirth in Australia. Birth, 49 (2). pp. 194-201.

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Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in health ser-vice expenditure on Indigenous and non- Indigenous women who experience a stillbirth, women's out- of- pocket costs, and health service use.

Methods: The project used a whole- of- population linked data set called “Maternity1000,” which includes all women who gave birth in Queensland, Australia, between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2018 (n = 396 158). Multivariable analysis was undertaken to assess differences in mean health service expenditure; and number of health care services accessed between Indigenous and non- Indigenous women who had a stillbirth from birth to twelve months postpartum. Costs are presented in 2019/20 Australian dollars.

Results: There was a total of 1864 babies stillborn to women in Queensland be-tween July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2018, with 135 being born to Indigenous women and 1729 born to non- Indigenous women. There was significantly lower total expenditure per woman for Indigenous women compared with non- Indigenous women ($16 083 and $18 811, respectively). This was consistent across public hospital inpatient ($12 564 compared with $14 075), outpatient ($1127 compared with $1470), community- based services ($198 compared with $313), pharmaceuticals ($8 compared with $22), private hospital ($434 compared with $1265), and for individual out- of- pocket fees ($21 compared with $86). Mean expenditure on emergency department services per woman was higher for Indigenous women compared with non- Indigenous women ($947 compared with $643). Indigenous women who experienced a stillbirth accessed fewer general practitioners, allied health, specialist, obstetrics, and outpatient services, and fewer pathology and diagnostic test than their non- Indigenous counterparts.

Conclusions: Inequities in access to health services exist between Indigenous and non- Indigenous women who experience a stillbirth

Item ID:	81601
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1523-536X
Keywords:	bereavement; maternal health; Women's health
Copyright Information:	© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Funders:	National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC).
Date Deposited:	23 Jan 2024 02:24
FoR Codes:	45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450413 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander midwifery and paediatrics @ 40% 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450414 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and babies health and wellbeing @ 30% 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450409 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services @ 30%
SEO Codes:	21 INDIGENOUS > 2103 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health > 210303 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health system performance @ 40% 21 INDIGENOUS > 2103 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health > 210399 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health not elsewhere classified @ 60%
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