Data disaggregation: the case of Asian and Pacific Islander data and the role of health sciences librarians.

Health disparities within Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities are often masked due to aggregated data. Lack of adequate data limits required health care services for these communities. While moving forward toward health equity, it is critical that disparities for API communities are acknowledged and addressed. This article focuses on the issues of aggregated data for API communities followed by suggestions on how health sciences librarians can support and promote better practices for data disaggregation.

Women's Pathways to Abortion Care in South Carolina: A Qualitative Study of Obstacles and Supports.

CONTEXT: Women seeking timely and affordable abortion care may face myriad challenges, including high out-of-pocket costs, transportation demands, scheduling difficulties and stigma. State-level regulations may exacerbate these burdens and impede women's access to a full range of care. Women's reports of their experiences can inform efforts to improve pathways to abortion care. METHODS: In 2014, semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 45 women obtaining abortions in South Carolina, which has a restrictive abortion environment. Interviews elicited information about women's pathways to abortion, including how they learned about and obtained care, whether they received professional referrals, and the supports and obstacles they experienced. Transcripts were examined using thematic analysis to identify key themes along the pathways, and a process map was constructed to depict women's experiences. RESULTS: Twenty participants reported having had contact with a health professional or crisis pregnancy center staff for pregnancy confirmation, and seven of them received an abortion referral. Women located abortion clinics through online searches, previous experience, and friends or family. Financial strain was the most frequently cited obstacle, followed by transportation challenges. Women reported experiencing emotional strain, stress and stigma, and described the value of receiving social support. Because of financial pressures, the regulation with the greatest impact was the one prohibiting most insurance plans from covering abortion care. CONCLUSIONS: Further research on experiences of women seeking abortion services, and how these individuals are affected by evolving state policy environments, will help shape initiatives to support timely, affordable and safe abortion care in a climate of increasing restrictions.