Exploring Contraception Attitudes, Beliefs, and Practices Among Refugee Women [A41

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In order to improve patient care and education efforts, there is a need to have more insight into the attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding contraception among refugee women. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study among refugee women in California. All participants provided informed consent. The focus groups included questions about general women’s health, prior experiences with health care professionals in the United States, and attitudes towards, as well as experience with, birth spacing and contraception. In addition, we asked refugee women to evaluate the appropriateness of MyPATH, a web-based reproductive goals decision-support tool. RESULTS: Sixty-two refugee participated in focus groups. Participants ranged from 20-50 years and came from Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Iraq, and Syria. Limiting family size while in the United States was more important than in participants’ home countries given economic burdens and lack of family support. Side effects, misconceptions that contraception contributes to cancer and infertility, and impact on menses were major concerns with utilizing contraception. Many participants desired in-person female interpreters for reproductive health visits. Participants were receptive to the web-based reproductive goals decision support tool MyPATH, but preferred being able to ask questions in person during low technology reproductive-health education sessions at community centers. CONCLUSION: The refugee women in this study were interested in using contraceptives to limit family size due to economic strain. Participants reported concerns about side effects that impacted their current contraception use. The women preferred contraceptive education in their community centers.