TY - JOUR
T1 - Knowledge and Attitudes About Sterilization and Long-Acting Reversible Contraception
AU - Leung, Andrea
AU - Loh, Andrew
AU - Pentlicky, Sara
AU - Gurney, Elizabeth P.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to recognize the following individuals for their contributions to this work: MA, (B.S., M.S., Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine), for data collection. SH, (B.S., Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine), for data collection. XX, (Ph.D., Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY), for data analysis and interpretation.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Albert Einstein Society Seed Grant for Healthcare Disparities Research, an institutional grant supporting resident research. The Albert Einstein Society had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, the writing of the report, or decision to publish the results.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - Objectives: To describe understanding of the irreversible nature of permanent contraception and knowledge and attitudes about long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) among individuals seeking and not seeking permanent contraception. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey among patients with Medicaid insurance attending an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in [location]. The survey consisted of 20 true/false and Likert questions assessing knowledge and perceptions about permanent contraception and LARC. Sixty-seven participants were needed to detect a small-to-medium Cohen’s effect size f2 = 0.20, with 95% power and alpha = 0.05. Results: Ninety potential participants were contacted and 67 were recruited. Forty-three participants desired permanent contraception and 24 did not. Approximately half of all participants were not aware that permanent contraception is irreversible. Participants who desired permanent contraception had lower LARC knowledge scores (62% correct versus 70%, p = 0.042) and more negative perceptions about LARC (54% versus 38%, p = 0.048). Fewer participants desiring permanent contraception identified LARC efficacy as equal to permanent contraception (32% versus 83%, p < 0.01), and fewer would consider using LARC (intrauterine device: 23% versus 58%, p < 0.01; implant: 16% versus 46%, p < 0.01). These differences persisted in multivariable models adjusting for age, gravidity, and parity. Conclusions for Practice: Individuals who desire permanent contraception may not be aware of its permanence, or of equally effective alternatives. They were also found to have more negative perceptions of LARC in our sample. Additional research is needed to understand factors underlying these differences. Counseling practices should be tailored to ensure accurate knowledge about permanent contraception and LARC for all people seeking to avoid pregnancy.
AB - Objectives: To describe understanding of the irreversible nature of permanent contraception and knowledge and attitudes about long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) among individuals seeking and not seeking permanent contraception. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey among patients with Medicaid insurance attending an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in [location]. The survey consisted of 20 true/false and Likert questions assessing knowledge and perceptions about permanent contraception and LARC. Sixty-seven participants were needed to detect a small-to-medium Cohen’s effect size f2 = 0.20, with 95% power and alpha = 0.05. Results: Ninety potential participants were contacted and 67 were recruited. Forty-three participants desired permanent contraception and 24 did not. Approximately half of all participants were not aware that permanent contraception is irreversible. Participants who desired permanent contraception had lower LARC knowledge scores (62% correct versus 70%, p = 0.042) and more negative perceptions about LARC (54% versus 38%, p = 0.048). Fewer participants desiring permanent contraception identified LARC efficacy as equal to permanent contraception (32% versus 83%, p < 0.01), and fewer would consider using LARC (intrauterine device: 23% versus 58%, p < 0.01; implant: 16% versus 46%, p < 0.01). These differences persisted in multivariable models adjusting for age, gravidity, and parity. Conclusions for Practice: Individuals who desire permanent contraception may not be aware of its permanence, or of equally effective alternatives. They were also found to have more negative perceptions of LARC in our sample. Additional research is needed to understand factors underlying these differences. Counseling practices should be tailored to ensure accurate knowledge about permanent contraception and LARC for all people seeking to avoid pregnancy.
KW - Contraceptive counseling
KW - Long-acting reversible contraception
KW - Permanent contraception
KW - Tubal sterilization
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U2 - 10.1007/s10995-021-03172-w
DO - 10.1007/s10995-021-03172-w
M3 - Article
C2 - 33945083
AN - SCOPUS:85105355123
VL - 25
SP - 1336
EP - 1344
JO - Maternal and Child Health Journal
JF - Maternal and Child Health Journal
SN - 1092-7875
IS - 8
ER -