Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Women's Health
Published in: BMC Women's Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Understanding the low uptake of long-acting reversible contraception by young women in Australia: a qualitative study

Authors: Cameryn C. Garrett, Louise A. Keogh, Anne Kavanagh, Jane Tomnay, Jane S. Hocking

Published in: BMC Women's Health | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Australia has high rates of teenage pregnancy compared with many Western countries. Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) offers an effective method to help decrease unintended pregnancies; however, current uptake remains low. The aim of this study was to investigate barriers to LARC use by young women in Australia.

Methods

Healthcare professionals were recruited through publicly available sources and snowball sampling to complete an interview about young women’s access to and use of LARC. The sample consisted of general practitioners, nurses, medical directors of reproductive and sexual health organisations, a sexual health educator, and health advocates. In addition, four focus groups about LARC were conducted with young women (aged 17–25 years) recruited via health organisations and a university. The data were analysed thematically.

Results

Fifteen healthcare professionals were interviewed and four focus groups were conducted with 27 young women. Shared barriers identified included norms, misconceptions, bodily consequences, and LARC access issues. An additional barrier identified by young women was a perceived lack of control over hormones entering the body from LARC devices. Healthcare professionals also raised as a barrier limited confidence and support in LARC insertions. Strategies identified to increase contraceptive knowledge and access included increasing nurses’ role in contraceptive provision and education, improving sex education in schools, and educating parents.

Conclusions

Challenges remain for young women to be able to make informed choices about contraception and easily access services. More research is needed around innovative approaches to increase LARC knowledge and access, including examining the role of nurses in enhancing young women’s reproductive health.
Literature
1.
Sexual Health Information Networking and Education South Australia. Sexual health statistics. In: Sexual Health Information Networking and Education South Australia. 2014.
2.
Chan A, Scheil W, Scott J, Nguyen A-M, Sage L. Adelaide: Pregnancy Outcome Unit, SA Health, Government of South Australia. 2011.
3.
Bradbury B. Disadvantage among Australian young mothers. Australian J Lab Econ. 2006;9(2):147–71.
4.
Harden A, Brunton G, Fletcher A, Oakley A, Burchett H, Backhans M. Young people, pregnancy and social exclusion: A systematic synthesis of research evidence to identify effective, appropriate and promising approaches for prevention and support. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London; 2006
5.
Boden JM, Fergusson DM, John Horwood L. Early motherhood and subsequent life outcomes. J Child Psychol Psyc. 2008;49(2):151–60.CrossRef
6.
Secura GM, Madden T, McNicholas C, Mullersman J, Buckel CM, Zhao Q, et al. Provision of no-cost, long-acting contraception and teenage pregnancy. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(14):1316–23.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
7.
Winner B, Peipert JF, Zhao Q, Buckel C, Madden T, Allsworth JE, et al. Effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraception. N Engl J Med. 2012;366(21):1998–2007.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Peipert JF, Zhao Q, Allsworth JE, Petrosky E, Madden T, Eisenberg D, et al. Continuation and satisfaction of reversible contraception. Obstet Gynecol. 2011;117(5):1105–13.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
9.
Oneil-Callahan M, Peipert JF, Zhao Q, Madden T, Secura G. Twenty-four-month continuation of reversible contraception. Obstet Gynecol. 2013;122(5):1083–91.CrossRef
10.
Eeckhaut MCW, Sweeney MM, Gipson JD. Who is using long-acting reversible contraceptive methods? Findings from nine low-fertility countries. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2014;46(3):149–55.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
11.
Gray E, Arunachalam D. Patterns of contraceptive use. In: HILDA Survey Research Conference 2013. Melbourne, Australia: EPPI-Centre; 2013.
12.
Mazza D, Harrison C, Taft A, Brijnath B, Britt H, Hobbs M, et al. Current contraceptive management in Australian general practice: an analysis of BEACH data. Med J Aust. 2012;197(2):110–4.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Lucke JC, Herbert DL. Higher uptake of long-acting reversible and permanent methods of contraception by Australian women living in rural and remote areas. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2014;38(2):112–6.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Dodson NA, Gray SH, Burke PJ. Teen pregnancy prevention on a LARC: an update on long-acting reversible contraception for the primary care provider. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2012;24(4):439–45.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Speidel J, Harper C, Shields W. The potential of long-acting reversible contraception to decrease unintended pregnancy. Contraception. 2008;78(78):197–200.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Britt H, Miller GC, Charles J, Henderson J, Bayram C, Pan Y, Valenti L, Harrison C, O’Halloran J, Fahridin S. General practice activity in Australia 2009–10. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; 2010.
17.
Saunders C, Tierney L. A Guide to Understanding and Working with General Practice in NSW. Sydney: NSW Health; 2011
18.
19.
Lee DJ. Training to insert Implanon. Trends Urology Gynaecology Sexual Health. 2010;15(1):12–6.CrossRef
20.
Braun V, Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol. 2006;3(2):77–101.CrossRef
21.
Glasier A, Scorer J, Bigrigg A. Attitudes of women in Scotland to contraception: a qualitative study to explore the acceptability of long-acting methods. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care. 2008;34(4):213–7.CrossRefPubMed
22.
23.
Spies EL, Askelson NM, Gelman E, Losch M. Young women’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to long-acting reversible contraceptives. Womens Health Issues. 2010;20(6):394–9.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Bateson D, Harvey C, Williams J, Black KI. Intrauterine contraception: why are so few Australian women using this effective method? Med J Aust. 2011;194(6):324.PubMed
25.
Booth ML, Bernard D, Quine S, Kang MS, Usherwood T, Alperstein G, et al. Access to health care among Australian adolescents young people’s perspectives and their sociodemographic distribution. J Adolesc Health. 2004;34(1):97–103.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Quine S, Bernard D, Booth M, Kang M, Usherwood T, Alperstein G, et al. Health and access issues among Australian adolescents: a rural–urban comparison. Rural Remote Health. 2003;3(3):245.PubMed
27.
Allen K. Contraception: common issues and practical suggestions. Aust Fam Physician. 2012;41:770–2.PubMed
Metadata
Title
Understanding the low uptake of long-acting reversible contraception by young women in Australia: a qualitative study
Authors
Cameryn C. Garrett
Louise A. Keogh
Anne Kavanagh
Jane Tomnay
Jane S. Hocking
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Women's Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6874
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-015-0227-9

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

BMC Women's Health 1/2015 Go to the issue

Research article

Early maternal age and multiparity are associated to poor physical performance in middle-aged women from Northeast Brazil: a cross-sectional community based study

Research article

Fine needle aspiration cytology of lymph nodes in breast cancer follow-up is a feasible alternative to watchful waiting and to histology

Research article

Autoethnography and severe perineal trauma—an unexpected journey from disembodiment to embodiment

Research article

Emotional suppression and depressive symptoms in women newly diagnosed with early breast cancer

Research article

Symptomatic presentation with cervical cancer in Uganda: a qualitative study assessing the pathways to diagnosis in a low-income country

Research article

The business of death: a qualitative study of financial concerns of widowed older women