Predictors Of Contraceptive Use Research Articles

Contraceptive self-efficacy in college women

We examined the relationship between the theory of self-efficacy and its effect on contraceptive use along with other variables in a predominantly white female college population. Written survey questionnaires were administered to 356 subjects in college classrooms; the study sample was limited to those 250 female subjects who were age 17–25 years unmarried, and sexually active. The questionnaire was designed to measure contraceptive use, contraceptive self-efficacy, demographic variables, and other variables associated with the college psychosocial environment (i.e., alcohol use, history of sexual assault, and future orientation in education and career plans). Contraceptive self-efficacy (CSE) was highly correlated with effective use ( r = .4, p < 0.01). Highly effective contraceptive users had a significantly higher mean CSE score ( p < 0.01) than that of less effective users. Logistic regression analysis of effective contraceptive use resulted in a four-factor model that correctly classified 76.3% of users. Contraceptive self-efficacy was the most important predictor of contraceptive use for this sample. Lack of barriers to contraception was also important, with knowledge and length of time of sexual activity also included in the final regression model. Most demographic and future orientation variables were not significantly associated with effective use; variables measuring sexual experience and personal attitudes and perceptions about birth control were more significantly associated with effective use. A lack of interference from alcohol was highly associated with effective contraceptive use. Self-efficacy would seem to be important in predicting contraceptive use and effecting behavior change.

Predictors of contraceptive use by adolescent mothers

This study examines the differences between adolescents who do versus those who do not use contraceptives after the birth of their first child. The sample consists of 89 low-income mothers in the state of Indiana. A discriminant function analysis is used to determine if the adolescents' home environment, financial resources, self-esteem, or future orientation discriminates between contracepting and noncontracepting adolescents. If the adolescent is not receiving financial support from a romantic partner, intends to have another child within the next year, and expects to be a single parent in one year, she is less likely to be using contraceptives.

Sex Education, Contraceptive and Reproductive Knowledge, and Contraceptive Use among Black Adolescent Females

This study examined sources of sex education for Black adolescent females and assessed relationships among sex education, knowledge about contraception and reproduction, and contraceptive use. The majority of adolescents reported having discussions with parents and having formal instruction regarding pregnancy, the menstrual cycle, and contraception. Neither parental discussion nor formal instruction on pregnancy and the menstrual cycle was related to reproductive knowledge, which was poor among the adolescents. A sample of older women had significantly greater reproductive knowledge than did the adolescents, although only one-fifth of older women responded correctly. Formal instruction on contraception was positively related to contraceptive knowledge, which was positively associated with ever-use of contraception, use at first intercourse, current use, and effectiveness of current method. Age at first intercourse was a significant predictor of contraceptive use and effectiveness at first intercourse.

Why not use contraception? Economics of fertility regulation among rural Egyptian women.

Abstract Use of contraception by rural Egyptian women who desire no more children is examined within a modified microeconomic framework. Four sets of factors are hypothesized to influence current use of contraception: (1) costs of contraception, ‘(2) factors influencing the slope of the desired family size function, (3) anticipated costs of child rearing and (4) strength of motivation for fertility regulation. Women's education and two measures of psychic costs were found to be important predictors of contraceptive use. Factors affecting the demand for children and thus indirectly influencing the motivation for fertility regulation were also important. Land ownership, cultivating status of the household, and educational expectations for children were significantly related to current use. Strength of motivation, although significant, was less strongly related to use of contraception. The findings suggest women who want no more children, but who are not practicing contraception, are affected by factors infl...

Predicting contraceptive behavior among college students: the role of communication, knowledge, sexual anxiety, and self-esteem.

Undergraduate students were surveyed about their sexual behavior and contraceptive behavior. In addition, measures of their self-esteem, knowledge about contraception, communication with their dating partners, communication about sexual matters with their sexual partners, and sexual anxiety were taken. Consistent with Byrne's (1983) model of effective contraception, it was found that general and sexual communication with one's partner were significant predictors of contraception use. Directional, but statistically weak, support was obtained for the predictions that knowledge about contraception and sexual anxiety would be related to contraception use. No support was found for the prediction that general self-esteem would be associated with contraceptive behavior.

Contraceptive Continuation Among Adolescents Attending Family Planning Clinics

An attempt to find a reliable way to measure contraceptive continuation among teenagers was made in a study of 445 adolescents under age 18 who made an initial visit to one of nine federally funded family planning clinics in the Philadelphia area in 1980 and 1981. The participants were interviewed at their initial visit and at six and 15 months to collect information on background characteristics, pregnancy history and contraceptive use. A cross-check of the information on contraceptive use reported during the study showed that 38 percent of the respondents who reported that they had been continuous users during the 15 months supplied information at other points indicating that they had not always used contraceptives during that period. In an attempt to examine the effects of adolescent reporting errors on measures of contraceptive use, the investigators constructed three alternative measures of contraceptive continuation. The simplest measure assessed current use at 15 months. A second measure accepted only reports of continuous use at 15 months and ignored inconsistent data. The third measure corrected for inconsistent data. Applying these measures to the study population produced proportions of contraceptive continuation ranging from a low of 43 percent when the most stringent measure was used to a high of 82 percent for the current-use category. Whatever the measure used, much of the discontinuation appears to have occurred in the first three months after the initial visit to a family planning clinic.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Factors in Consistency between Attitudes and Behavior: Implications for Policies and Programs

The paper deals with the factors which affect contraceptive attitudes, behaviors, and the relationship between the two. The analysis is based upon original survey data from 2,446 women in Venezuela and related literature. The results suggest that both positive attitudes and contraceptive accessibility are major determinants of contraception but at the aggregate level neither has a decisive advantage over the other. The three best predictors of contraceptive use are: specific contraceptive attitudes, social support, and accessibility of contraceptives. Their impacts on behavior are direct and additive; however, their impacts vary significantly by education and number of living children. In general attitude change strategy is more effective with younger women while improving accessibility affects older women more often. Implications for policy and programs are presented.

Early Childbearing and Subsequent Fertility

Data from the National Survey of Family Growth which was conducted by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics in 1973-1974 were searched for the relationship between early childbearing and subsequent fertility. The data show that early age at 1st birth especially if the mother is a teenager correlates with more rapid and higher levels of subsequent fertility. Women who start their childbearing in their teen years tend to have more unwanted and out-of-wedlock births. This is true within racial educational and religious subgroups. Marital status at 1st birth had little effect on subsequent fertility. Previously observed fertility differences between blacks and whites are largely attributable to differences in age at 1st birth. Blacks in fact seem to have slowed the pace of their current childbearing perhaps due to the growth of federally subsidized family planning programs in recent years. There are still differences in subsequent fertility between Catholics and non-Catholics when age at 1st birth is controlled. Subsequent childbearing seems to have no relation to whether the 1st birth was considered wanted or unwanted. Education proves to be an important predictor of contraceptive use and success. The reasons for this are complex.

Sex-role attitudes as predictors of contraceptive use among unmarried university students.

Through a review of existing theory and research a set of propositions explaining contraceptive behavior among unmarried young women was developed. The paper tests the propositions with survey research data drawn from a stratified random sample of male and female students at a large Midwestern university. Findings suggest that nontraditional sex-role-related attitudes in conjunction with an internal locus of control orientation are predictive of effective contraception for women respondents. Neither variable alone or jointly explained contraceptive behavior of men respondents.