NC physician: Election anxiety is causing fearful patients to alter health care decisions

With the looming 2024 election, I am seeing more and more patients in my OBGYN practice who are feeling increasingly pressured to make their healthcare decisions. From seeking surgical sterilization to accessing contraception and gender affirming surgery, the tense political climate is largely influencing their personal healthcare decisions in profound ways. 

I have even had conversations with patients who want to be pregnant, but fear a lack of options should complications arise during their pregnancy where they may want or need to access abortion care, causing them to decide to delay or avoid pregnancy altogether.  

My patients are acutely aware that the outcome of this election could further alter their access to healthcare services and options for care. This uncertainty and resultant anxiety are creating pressure on them to seek certain aspects of reproductive and gender affirming care, as they deeply fear that their options may soon be limited or entirely unavailable. Patients are describing feelings of fear and even panic about the possibility of not accessing certain aspects of care as a result of the upcoming election.    

This experience is not unique to my patients. A recent publication in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed an increase in patients seeking surgical sterilization in the six months after the June Supreme Court Dobbs decision, with the most pronounced increase in states with abortion bans in place.

A total of 41 states have abortion bans in effect and 25 states have restrictions on gender-affirming care. Many of my patients feel afraid that the outcome of the election could result in further restrictions or limitations on access to care, and therefore, feel an extreme sense of urgency to be seen, have contraceptive devices like IUDs or implants inserted, and/or to have surgery.  

As we approach the election and prepare for the potential outcomes, healthcare providers must recognize the profound impact that political uncertainty has on our patients and their healthcare decisions. We must advocate for policies that safeguard access to comprehensive reproductive care, including access to contraception, IVF, and abortion, as well as gender-affirming care, ensuring that all patients can make informed decisions without the added pressure of political instability. 

The majority of voters in North Carolina and across the country believe that healthcare should be free from political interference, and advocates, including medical professionals, must continue to work to make that fundamental value a reality.

Reproductive freedom, a key issue on the mind of many voters, envisions a world of empowered individuals who make choices that are right for them, free from fear and coercion, and free from government interference. Patients make these personal decisions based on many reasons, but personal politics is not usually a factor.

It’s past time for elected officials to stop playing politics with our patients’ lives. 

This article was first published in NC Newsline October 30, 2024