Exploring Contraceptive Care and Access Experiences of Veterans

Practical access to contraceptive care and the ability to choose care that meets one's needs and preferences are important for an individual's health and well-being in the United States. Although a significant amount of research has been done to examine access to contraceptive care, particularly among civilian women, there is significantly less understanding about the needs, preferences, and experiences of veterans. The body of evidence on veterans' contraceptive use and knowledge of and experiences with contraceptive care shows significant gaps. Additionally, veterans' ability to use their preferred methods of contraception is uneven and influenced by the quality of counseling they receive, the availability of trained providers, and systemic disparities in access. To address these gaps, the authors of this study conducted a nationally representative survey of men and women veterans' access to, knowledge of, and use of contraception and contraceptive care within and outside the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and its network of community care providers. This survey was supplemented by in-depth interviews. The authors aimed to better understand gaps in contraceptive access and choice for U.S. veterans of reproductive age and how these gaps might vary by certain characteristics, such as sex or where veterans receive or access care. The authors also present recommendations for care providers and veteran-serving organizations to address gaps in contraceptive knowledge, access, and care for veteran men and women.