Contraceptive choice for young people
R.E. Say, D. Mansour
Newcastle Contraception and Sexual Health Service, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Introduction: Clinicians suggest that use of long-acting contraceptive
methods such as Evra the contraceptive patch, NuvaRing the contraceptive vaginal
ring and Implanon the contraceptive implant may help reduce teenage pregnancy
rates. However, little is known about young people’s attitudes towards these
methods or about how their personal experience may affect them.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare contraceptive use,
experience of contraceptive failures and knowledge of and attitude towards
long-acting contraceptives between a group of young people attending young
people’s contraception and sexual health clinics and young people at school
who were not necessarily sexually active in order to contribute towards the
improved understanding of the choices which young people make about
contraception. Design and Methods: A cross sectional survey was carried out
using a self-completion questionnaire developed for this study. Participants
were a self-selecting sample of young people attending three young people’s
contraception and sexual health clinics; a school health drop-in or a Year 10 (age
14–15) Personal and Social Education class. Statistical analysis was carried
out using appropriate univariate tests.
Results: There were 129 participants in the clinic group and 24 in the
school group. The clinic group was older than the School Group. Condoms were the
most commonly used method of contraception in both groups. Of pill users
approximately 50% had missed at least one pill in the last month. Over half the
clinic group had experienced a pregnancy scare and 8.6% had experienced an
unplanned pregnancy; 16.7% of the school group had experienced a pregnancy scare
but none had experienced an unplanned pregnancy. The majority of participants in
both groups had no prior knowledge of Evra, NuvaRing or Implanon. Approximately
one third of participants in both groups indicated that they would wish to use
Evra; five percent of the clinic group and none of the school group that they
would wish to use NuvaRing and approximately one quarter of the clinic group and
one eighth of the school group that they would use Implanon. Participants in the
clinic group were more likely to wish to use NuvaRing and Implanon than the
school group but the proportion of participants who stated they would wish to
use Evra was approximately the same for both groups.
Conclusions: Young people’s use of and attitude towards
contraception is variable. Awareness of this variability and recognition that
attitudes may change with experience will be important for health professionals
in assisting young people in making informed decisions about contraception.
