Disability benefits as an incentive for hysterectomy: Uterine fibroid patients in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE Worker compensation insurance in Taiwan ensures that a woman under the age of 45 years who has her uterus removed can receive disability compensation benefits. The present study investigated whether such a compensation policy was related to a woman's inclination to have a hysterectomy. METHODS We extracted the records of 16,030 women diagnosed with uterine fibroids (UF) between 2000 and 2010 from the Longitudinal Taiwan Health Insurance Database. RESULTS Each younger and older age group had a significantly lower hysterectomy rate compared to that of the 44-year-old age group. Moreover, significantly more patients with lower monthly wages had had hysterectomies than those with higher monthly wages. CONCLUSIONS Policy makers should be aware that worker compensation regulations in Taiwan might encourage women with economic need to undergo hysterectomy surgery when approaching the age of 45 years.