Role of Social Resource Variables Upon Life Satisfaction in Black Climacteric Hysterectomized Women

Abstract

Hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus, is the most commonly performed major surgery in the United States. In 1975, the incidence of hysterectomies peaked at 808,000. Although in 1980 there was a slight decrease, 5.6 per 1,000, America still has the highest rate of hysterectomies in the world (Finck, 1979; Krueger, Hassell, Goggins, Ishimatsu, Pablico, & Tuttle, 1979; U.S. Superintendent of Documents, 1983). Over the years, perhaps no other surgical procedure has prompted more concern among the medical profession, government agencies, third-party payers, feminist groups, and the laity about its indications and possible overuse (Doyle, 1953; Larned, 1974; Miller, 1946; Parrott, 1972). In response to this widespread concern, a Policy Statement - "The Determination of the Necessity of Gynecological Surgery" was issued by the Executive Board of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (1977). Equally alarming over the years are reports that removal of non-pathological uteri constitutes 32-39% of the total number of hysterectomies performed each year (Doyle, 1953; Zussman, Zussman, Sunley, & BJorn-son, 1981). "It is fairly clear that socio-economic status may be a selective factor in determining who is to be hysterectomized" (Patterson, Craig, Dinitz, Lefton, & Pasamanick, 1960). It was documented in the mid-fifties that the percentage of hysterectomies performed on medically uninsured women is double that of insured (Anderson & Feldman, 1956), leading Parlee (1978) to conclude that "there is some suggestion that the figure may be related to the race and social class of the woman, as to whether or not she had medical insurance..." (p. 36).