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Association between Increased Emergency Contraception Availability and Risky Sexual Practices
Danielle N Atkins1, W David Bradford2
1Department of Political Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
Health Services Research
|November 5, 2014
Summary
Increased emergency contraception availability did not lead to more risky sexual practices nationally. However, state-level policy changes were linked to increased unprotected sex among women with multiple partners.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Reproductive Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Understanding the impact of emergency contraception (EC) accessibility on sexual behavior is crucial for public health policy.
- Previous research has explored the relationship between contraception access and sexual practices, with varying conclusions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between increased emergency contraception availability for women aged 18 and older and the probability of engaging in risky sexual practices.
- To differentiate the effects of national versus state-level policy changes on sexual behavior.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal data from 3,786 women (aged 18+) from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 (October 1999-November 2009).
- Analysis of 34,030 individual/year observations.
- Modeling of three binary outcomes: any sexual activity, sexual activity with multiple partners, and unprotected sex among women with multiple partners, comparing states with state-level policy changes versus national policy changes.
Main Results:
- National policy changes were associated with a decrease in sexual activity and multiple partnerships, with no significant impact on unprotected sex.
- State-level policy changes showed no association with sexual activity or multiple partnerships.
- Women in states with their own policy changes were more likely to report unprotected sex.
Conclusions:
- National-level increases in emergency contraception availability appear to reduce overall sexual activity and multiple partnerships without increasing unprotected sex.
- State-level policy changes regarding emergency contraception availability may be associated with an increased likelihood of unprotected sex among women with multiple partners.
- Policy implications differ based on the level of government enacting the changes.
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