How health policies affect people with systemic autoimmune and rheumatic conditions

Effects of health policy on the health of people with systemic autoimmune and rheumatic diseases

NIH-funded research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11335678

This project looks at how health policies and medical care affect health and pregnancy outcomes for reproductive-age women with systemic autoimmune and rheumatic diseases.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Pittsburgh, United States)
Project IDNIH-11335678 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be asked about your experiences with fertility, pregnancy care, and access to treatments through interviews with researchers. Doctors who treat people with these conditions will also be interviewed about how policies shape their prescribing and referral choices. The team will analyze national insurance claims to compare pregnancy outcomes (like severe maternal complications) and medication use among women with these conditions. Together these methods aim to link patient experiences, clinician decisions, and policy factors to suggest ways to improve care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Reproductive-age women with systemic autoimmune and rheumatic diseases who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, postpartum, or have prior pregnancy experience are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without systemic autoimmune or rheumatic conditions, men, or individuals whose health concerns are unrelated to pregnancy or reproductive care are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: The findings could pinpoint policy changes that improve access to effective treatments and safer pregnancy care for people with systemic autoimmune and rheumatic diseases.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown worse pregnancy outcomes for women with these conditions, but linking those outcomes to health policies and clinician decision-making is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Pittsburgh, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Autoimmune Diseases
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.