Teen compliance with contraception: Analysis of the ohio medicaid claims data

Abstract

Background: Teen pregnancy is an important and costly issue for society and often commits the mother to a life of poverty. Physicians play an important role in preventing teen pregnancy by identifying teens at risk for pregnancy and prescribing contraception. This study examines for the first time, whether pharmacy data can be used to evaluate teens' compliance with contraception. Such a method may be useful to physician groups, health plans or state agencies to identify teens at risk for unwanted pregnancy and target interventions.Methods: Secondary analysis of the Ohio Medicaid Claims Data from 1998 was done identifying continuously enrolled young women ages 12–19 years, at high risk for pregnancy defined by ICD 9 codes for an STD, an abnormal pap smear, contraception, or a CPT code for a pregnancy test.Results: Between 1/1/98–3/31/98 we identified 4009 females, ages 12–19 years at high risk for pregnancy. During the study interval, 1084 (27%) became pregnant. 1732 (43%) used no prescription contraception and 1190 (30%) used a method at some time. Depo only (551) and OCP only (552) use was equal. Eighty-three combined the use of Depo and OCP. Compliance was poor. Only 20% of the contracepting group had coverage for the full year and approximately 30% used a method for 3 months or less. There was little difference in age or concurrent chronic physical or mental illness between the contracepting and non-contracepting groups. General practice physicians provided 40% of the OCP prescriptions to teens compared with 36% Ob/Gyn, 10% Pediatrics, and 6% Internal Medicine.Conclusions: Analysis of pharmacy data to evaluate the contraceptive compliance of teens at high risk for pregnancy demonstrated poor compliance. This may be a useful tool for identifying teens at risk for unwanted pregnancy and targeting interventions.