Infertility in Low-Income Latinos

描述（由申请人提供）：这项定性人类学研究的总体目的是研究墨西哥裔美国人和中美洲裔低收入拉美人不孕的经历。具体目的是：1)研究不孕症的经历，包括与性别和生育有关的文化意义，以及关于家庭和父母身份的文化价值观；2)检查不孕症治疗和使用卫生保健系统的可及性；3)探讨不孕不育患者寻求和接受治疗的过程；4)研究女性和男性在面对稀缺资源时寻求解决生育问题的方式，包括通过非医疗手段成为父母的努力。具体目标将通过使用定性方法研究她们的伴侣120名妇女和120名21岁及以上的男子来实现。每隔6个月将进行三次面试：第一次面试将在6个月后进行，然后是对每对伴侣的单独面试，最后一次面试将在第一次面试的一年后进行。在不可能包括男性合伙人的情况下，女性将被跟踪进行所有三次面试。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall aim of this qualitative, anthropological research is to examine the experiences of low-income Latinos of Mexican American and Central American descent who experience infertility. The specific aims are: 1) to examine the experience of infertility, including cultural meanings associated with gender and fertility, and cultural values about family and parenthood; 2) to examine access to the health care system for infertility treatment and use; 3) to explore the process of seeking and undergoing treatment for infertility; and 4) to examine the ways in which women and men seek to resolve fertility problems in the face of scarce resources, including efforts to become parents through non-medical means. The specific aims will be carried out by studying 120 women and 120 men who are their partners, age 21 and up, using qualitative methods. There will be three interviews at 6-month intervals: an initial couple interview will be followed six months later by solo interviews with each partner, and a final couple interview on year after the initial interview. In cases where it is not possible to include the male partner, women will be followed for all three interviews. The sample will be drawn in approximately equal numbers from 1) the community itself, and 2) a low-income infertility clinic geographically situated within the community that serves this population. Qualitative analysis will be undertaken in a systematic progress of steps.