Sociocultural Determinants of Teenage Childbearing Among Latinas in California

Objectives U.S. Latinas have a persistently high rate of teenage childbearing, which is associated with adverse outcomes for both mother and child. This study was designed to investigate the roles of socioeconomic factors and acculturation in teenage childbearing in this population. Methods Logistic regression was used to analyze the association of measures of acculturation (language spoken at home, nativity, and age at immigration) and respondents’ parents’ education with age at first birth in a stratified sample of post-partum women in California. Results The unadjusted odds ratio for teenage birth for Latinas versus non-Latina Whites was 5.2 (95% CI 4.1–6.6). Nativity was not significantly associated with teen birth, but speaking Spanish at home was positively associated and immigrating at a later age was negatively associated with teen birth. Overall, these measures of acculturation accounted for 17% (95% CI 8–28%) of the difference in odds of teen birth between Latinas and non-Latina Whites. Higher levels of education among respondents’ parents had differentially protective effects across the racial/ethnic groups. Controlling for disparities in respondents’ parents’ education without changing its differential effects across racial/ethnic groups reduced the odds ratio for Latinas compared to non-Latina Whites by 30% (95% CI 14–60%). Conclusion These findings call into question common assumptions about the protective effect of acculturation on teen fertility and suggest that improving childhood socioeconomic factors among Latinas may decrease teen childbearing

Women’s preferences for and experiences with prenatal genetic testing decision making: Sociodemographic disparities in preference-concordant decision making

ObjectiveTo investigate women's preferred approach to prenatal genetic testing decision making and assess concordance between preference and experience.MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis of data from two randomized trials conducted between 2007-2012. Survey items assessed participants' preferred approach to decision making and whether they experienced a preference-concordant decision process. Logistic regression estimated relationships between patient characteristics and these outcomes.Results56% of women preferred autonomous decision making, 39% preferred shared decision making, and 5% preferred a provider-driven approach. Only 57% experienced preference-concordant decision making. On bivariate analysis, black women, Spanish-speaking Latinas and women with less education were less likely to experience this outcome than white, more educated women. Numeracy and preferring a provider-driven approach fully mediated observed disparities in preference-concordant decision making for most participants, except for Spanish-speaking Latinas, who were still less likely to have experienced this outcome after accounting for these factors.ConclusionNumeracy, preference for provider-driven decision processes, and language barriers were key drivers of disparities in preference-concordant decision making.Practice implicationsGiven the values-sensitive and quantitative nature of prenatal testing decisions, nuanced counseling and interventions to address language barriers, numeracy gaps, and decision-making preferences are needed to tailor counseling to patient's backgrounds and desires

Medical Liability Insurance as a Barrier to the Provision of Abortion Services in Family Medicine

Family physicians who wish to provide abortions have been subject to both denial of coverage by medical liability insurers and the imposition of large premium increases. These policy decisions by insurance companies raise questions about the role of family physicians in abortion care and about the autonomy of medical specialties in defining their scope of practice

Women's questions after postabortion insertion of intrauterine contraception

Abstract Background: Postabortion insertion of intrauterine contraception has the potential to decrease unintended pregnancy and repeat abortions, but little is known about how to ensure that women receive appropriate counseling about this method in this setting. The goal of this investigation was to document women's questions and to assess retention of information provided during contraceptive counseling after immediate postabortion intrauterine contraceptive placement. Study Design: Women who received postabortion intrauterine contraceptives (IUCs) at an urban, hospital-based abortion clinic were surveyed 2-3 months postabortion to evaluate for expulsion, assess their concerns about IUC and evaluate retention of information provided during contraceptive counseling. Results: Of 141 women contacted, 121 participated. Almost half of participants (46%) had responses to the question "Do you have any questions or concerns about your intrauterine device?" that fell into the following categories: spotting/bleeding (16%), cramping/pain (15%), string management (10%), expulsion concern (5%). Seventy percent reported less bleeding during menses than prior to IUC placement, and 37% had less cramping. Sixty-three percent were able to accurately report statistics regarding IUC efficacy, 56% recalled common side effects, and 42% remembered what to do if expulsion occurred. Conclusion: Although IUCs are highly effective and their placement in the abortion setting is safe, women frequently have questions and do not recall critical counseling information about IUCs. In order to improve IUC continuation, techniques to improve both patient knowledge retention and anticipatory guidance should be studied further

Birth Control Connect: A randomized trial of an online group to disseminate contraceptive information.

ObjectiveWe sought to test whether participation in an online group including IUD users influenced IUD-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior among IUD non-users, as a proof-of-concept evaluation of information dissemination for less commonly used or novel contraceptives.Study designWe conducted a blinded, randomized controlled trial on the effect of online communication with IUD users within an online program called Birth Control Connect. Participants were women age 18-45 living in the United States who had never used an IUD. We invited participants randomized to the intervention to join two-week, nine-member discussion groups including four satisfied IUD users and five IUD non-users; we invited control participants to groups including nine IUD non-users. We performed chi-squared tests on IUD knowledge, information-seeking, informational support and use in immediate post-surveys, and t-tests comparing change in IUD attitudes and frequency of logins to discussion groups.ResultsWe invited 488 IUD non-users and enrolled them into 70 groups between October 2015 and April 2016. We found increased positive attitudes towards the IUD in the intervention arm (0.65-point increase between pre- and post-surveys, versus 0.05 mean change for control arm, p = 0.03 for hormonal IUD, with a trend in the same direction for the non-hormonal IUD). Informational support also increased, with 70.3% of intervention arm participants self-reporting that they gained a better idea of what the IUD would be like, compared to 51.3% in control arm (p < 0.01). Of intervention participants, 63.3% versus 51.3% of control participants reported gaining new information from their group (p = 0.03). There were no differences in correct responses to knowledge items or information-seeking between groups.ConclusionsOnline exposure to IUD users increased positive attitudes toward the IUD and informational support for decision-making about the IUD among non-users.Implications statementOnline spaces provide a promising environment for the exchange of accurate, useful contraceptive information based on real user experiences. Interventions aiming to harness social communication through structured online conversations (e.g., on existing social media platforms) about user experiences with lesser-known contraceptive methods such as the IUD may be worthwhile

Racial and ethnic differences in contraceptive use among women who desire no future children, 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth

ObjectiveTo evaluate racial/ethnic differences in contraceptive use among women who do not desire future pregnancy.Study designWe used the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth to examine the associations between race/ethnicity and 1) use of any contraceptive method at last heterosexual intercourse and 2) effectiveness of contraceptive method used among women who stated that they did not desire any (more) children. We conducted multivariable logistic regression to assess the independent effect of race/ethnicity on these outcomes, adjusting for socio-demographic factors, reproductive characteristics, and indicators of healthcare access and utilization.ResultsThe study sample consisted of 2900 women, aged 15-44 years. The vast majority of women (91.2%) used contraception at last sex, although this varied significantly by race/ethnicity (p<.01). In the fully adjusted model controlling for demographic and reproductive characteristics as well as healthcare access, compared to whites, black women were significantly less likely to use any contraception at last sex (OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.27-0.73), while there was no significant difference for Hispanic women (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.52-1.72). Among women who used a method at last sex, the type of contraceptive method varied significantly by race/ethnicity in bivariate analysis (p<.01), although most women (59%) used a highly effective method. In the fully adjusted model, racial/ethnic differences were no longer significant.ConclusionsIn this nationally representative cohort of women who report that they do not desire (more) children, black women were significantly less likely than white women to use any contraception at last intercourse; this difference did not appear to be due to differential access to health care.ImplicationsSignificant racial/ethnic differences exist in contraceptive use among women who have completed childbearing, which do not appear to be explained by differential socioeconomic status, reproductive characteristics or utilization of healthcare. Other factors, including social mobility and locus of reproductive control, that may contribute to these variations should be further explored

Future Directions in Performance Measures for Contraceptive Care: A Proposed Framework

In the United States, almost half (45%) of the approximately 6 million pregnancies each year are unintended. These statistics indicate that many women experience barriers to achieving their desired reproductive outcomes, which has potential adverse consequences for women, children and society at large, such as higher rates of preterm birth, lower rates of breastfeeding and lower educational attainment. Contraceptive care is a highly effective clinical intervention that can substantially reduce those adverse outcomes, help individuals and couples achieve their desired number and spacing of children, and save money. However, many women at risk of unintended pregnancy do not use contraception or use it incorrectly or inconsistently, and there are documented barriers in access to and quality of contraceptive care services available

Development and Pilot Testing of a Patient-Centered Web-Based Reproductive Decision Support Tool for Primary Care.

BackgroundPatient-centered counseling to help women achieve their reproductive goals is an essential yet often absent component of primary care.ObjectiveWe developed and piloted MyPath, a novel web-based decision support tool integrating reproductive goals assessment, information about optimizing health before pregnancy, and contraceptive decision support, for use prior to primary care visits in the Veterans Administration (VA).DesignWe created MyPath using best practices for decision tool development, including a conceptual framework informed by theory and user-centered design with input from patients, providers, and scientific experts. We conducted a non-randomized pilot in two VA Women's Health primary care clinics. A control group (n = 28) was recruited prior to and intervention group (n = 30) recruited after introduction of MyPath into clinics.ParticipantsWomen Veterans ages 18-44 with an upcoming visit scheduled with one of eight providers.InterventionsAfter recruitment of controls, providers and staff received a brief introduction to MyPath. Patients scheduled to see providers in the intervention phase used MyPath on an iPad in the waiting room prior to their visit.Main measuresAcceptability, feasibility, discussions about pregnancy and/or contraceptive needs, and contraceptive decision quality by a survey of participants and providers.Key resultsNearly all participants who used MyPath reported they learned new information (97%) and would recommend it to other Veterans (93%). No providers reported that MyPath significantly increased workload. A greater proportion of intervention participants reported having discussions about reproductive needs in their visit compared to controls (93% vs 68%; p = 0.02). Intervention participants also experienced greater increases in pre-/post-visit knowledge and communication self-efficacy and a trend towards greater reduction in contraceptive decision conflict compared to controls.ConclusionsMyPath was highly acceptable to women, increased the proportion of primary care visits addressing reproductive needs, and improved decision quality without increasing providers' perceived workload. A larger randomized evaluation of effectiveness is warranted

Development of My Decision/Mi Decisión, a web-based decision aid to support permanent contraception decision making

Objective: To develop a patient-centered, web-based decision aid to support informed and value-concordant decision making among Medicaid enrollees considering tubal sterilization. Methods: We used the Ottawa Decision Support Framework and the International Patient Decision Aids Standards (IPDAS) to guide systematic development of our decision aid. We interviewed 15 obstetrician-gynecologists and 40 women, who had considered or were considering tubal sterilization. A Steering Committee—comprising healthcare providers, social scientists, reproductive health and justice advocates, and people with lived experience—provided feedback and direction. We developed English and Spanish prototypes, which were beta tested with 24 women. Results: The resulting web-based My Decision/Mi Decisión tool (English/Spanish) includes written and video information about tubal sterilization procedures; an interactive table of contraception options; values clarification exercises; reflection and deliberation; knowledge checks; and a summary report to share with one's provider. Users found the decision aid to be informative, engaging, easy to use, and helpful in informing contraception decision making. Conclusion: My Decision/Mi Decisión is a scalable tool that could be implemented widely to support informed decision making about tubal sterilization. Innovation: This is a novel and timely web-based decision tool for tubal sterilization, when demand for permanent contraception is rapidly increasing post-Dobbs. While designed for Medicaid enrollees, further investigation will explore more generalized use