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Why are US women not using long-acting contraceptives?
K Tanfer1, S Wierzbicki, B Payn
1Battelle, Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation, Seattle, USA.
Family Planning Perspectives
|August 15, 2000
Summary
Few women use long-acting reversible contraceptives like hormonal implants and injectables due to lack of knowledge or fear of side effects. Targeted interventions may increase uptake of these effective methods.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Contraception Research
- Public Health Interventions
Background:
- Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), such as hormonal implants and injectables, are highly effective but underutilized in the U.S.
- Understanding reasons for low uptake is crucial for developing strategies to reduce unintended pregnancies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine women's reasons for not using hormonal implants or injectables.
- To assess women's intentions to use these methods in the future.
- To identify demographic and social factors influencing non-use and future intentions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the 1993 and 1995 National Survey of Women.
- Logistic regression models to identify predictors of non-use and intention to use.
Main Results:
- Less than 2% used implants and under 3% used injectables in 1995.
- Primary reasons for non-use: lack of knowledge, fear of side effects, and satisfaction with current methods.
- Demographic factors (age, education, marital status, parity) influenced reasons for non-use and future intentions.
Conclusions:
- Low current use and intention to use LARCs question their future promise.
- Specific subgroups show potential for increased uptake with targeted interventions to address misperceptions.