Designing and evaluating a statewide person-centered contraceptive access initiative: The PATH4YOU program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Reproductive Health
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• Statewide initiatives are crucial for expanding access to reproductive healthcare services.
• A person-centered contraceptive care framework prioritizes individual needs and preferences.
• Evaluating care quality through validated measures like PCCC and CollaboRATE is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a statewide contraceptive access initiative in Indiana.
• To assess contraceptive method utilization and care quality using person-centered measures.
• To identify disparities in access and quality based on demographics and care modality.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of program utilization data (2021-2024).
• Examination of contraceptive method and appointment type by age and geography (RUCA codes).
• Analysis of care quality surveys (PCCC, CollaboRATE) by program characteristics and demographics.

Main Results:

• 2820 participants, mean age 27.1; 77% in-person care, 87% of counties reached.
• Similar selection of short-acting (45%) and long-acting (46%) methods; rural areas less likely to choose long-acting methods.
• High reported quality of care (80% PCCC, 75% CollaboRATE), with variations by ethnicity, sexual attraction, and care modality.

Conclusions:

• The PATH4YOU program successfully expanded contraceptive access statewide with high reported quality of care.
• Significant differences in outcomes were observed based on geography, ethnicity, sexual attraction, and care modality.
• Tailored strategies are necessary to ensure equitable contraceptive care for all individuals.