Krista Childress|Angela K. Lawson|M.S. Ghant|G. Mendoza|Eden R. Cardozo|Edmond Confino|Erica E. Marsh
First contact: the intersection of demographics, knowledge, and appraisal of treatment at the initial infertility visit
Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Massachusetts General Hospital|Northwestern University|Northwestern University
determine impact initial infertility visit treatmentrelated knowledge patient anxiety appraisals treatmentprospective surveyacademic medical centertwo hundred thirtyfour englishspeaking women aged 1850 years attending first infertility visitparticipants completed survey assessing health literacy knowledge anxiety appraisals treatment process infertility visitknowledge infertility treatment anxiety appraisal scoresmost participants white earned 100000year least college education baseline knowledge reproductive anatomy assisted reproductive technology art fertility factors modest improved initial visit factors associated higher knowledge included higher education income white asian ethnicity english primary language patient appraisals treatment represented positive challenge negative threat loss subscale scores appraisal life events ale scale changed time negative appraisals treatment anxiety scores decreased positive appraisals treatment increased initial visit lower knowledge associated higher positive appraisal scores lower health literacy associated higher anxiety appraisal scores positive negative visit black women higher challenge scores compared white asian women hispanic women higher anxiety scores nonhispanic womeninfertility patients modest baseline knowledge fertility infertility treatment initial infertility visit improve knowledge decrease negative appraisals treatment anxiety levels differences knowledge appraisal seen across ethnic groups demographic variables physicians individualize patient counseling improve patients knowledge provide realistic treatment expectations also reducing patient anxiety