Abstract
Background
Half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended, with the highest proportions
occurring among Blacks, Hispanics, and teenagers. Understanding differences in knowledge
and attitudes about contraception by race/ethnicity and age can improve efforts to
reduce disparities in unintended pregnancy.
Methods
This analysis used data from the 897 female respondents in National Survey of Reproductive
and Contraceptive Knowledge, a survey exploring young adults' knowledge and attitudes
about contraception and pregnancy. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression
analyses were used to assess racial/ethnic and age group differences in knowledge
and attitudes about contraceptives.
Findings
Hispanics and teenagers (aged 18–19) had lower awareness of available contraceptive
methods, and lower knowledge about individual methods compared with White women and
young adults (age 20–29). For example, Hispanics (74%) and teenagers (77%) were less
likely to have heard of the intrauterine device (IUD) than were White women (90%)
and young adults (90%), and were less likely to know that a woman experiencing side
effects could switch brands of oral contraceptive pills (72% of Hispanics vs. 86%
of White women; 76% of teenagers vs. 90% of young adults). Hispanics born outside
the United States had lower knowledge about contraceptives than U.S.-born Hispanics.
For example, foreign-born Hispanics were less likely than U.S.-born Hispanics to have
heard of the IUD (59% vs. 82%) or the vaginal ring (55% vs. 95%).
Conclusions
Lower contraceptive knowledge among teenagers and Hispanics, particularly immigrants,
suggests the importance of disseminating family planning information to these women
as one means to address disparities in unintended pregnancy.
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Biography
Amaranta D. Craig, BS, is a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco, in the UCSF Clinical and Translational Research Fellowship and PROF-PATH (Promoting Research Opportunities Fully- Prospective Academics Transforming Health) Fellowship. Her research interests include women's health and health disparities.
Biography
Christine Dehlendorf, MD, MAS, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Her research interests include family planning disparities and contraception counseling.
Biography
Sonya Borrero, MD, MS, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research interests include disparities in contraceptive use and unintended pregnancy and contraceptive care in the VA Healthcare System.
Biography
Cynthia C. Harper, PhD, is Associate Professor at the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco. Her research interests include social and policy aspects of family planning.
Biography
Corinne H. Rocca, PhD, MPH, is an Epidemiologist at the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco. Her research interests include unintended pregnancy prevention, pregnancy ambivalence, and reproductive health disparities.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 11, 2014
Accepted:
February 3,
2014
Received in revised form:
January 20,
2014
Received:
August 26,
2013
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
