Use of population-based 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 2011-2012 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. Extracted 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 data by race in Ontario to address health equity.