Determinants of Multimethod Contraceptive Use in a Sample of Adolescent Women Diagnosed with Psychological Disorders

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Delia L Lang, Emory University; Jessica Sales, Emory University; Laura F. Salazar, Emory University; Ralph Joseph Diclemente, Emory University; Richard A. Crosby, University of Kentucky; Larry K. Brown, Brown University; Geri R. Donenberg, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Language: English
• Date: 2011-07-28
• Publisher: Hindawi Publishing Corporation
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2011 Delia L. Lang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://www.hindawi.com/journals/idog/2011/510239/
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology
• ISSN: 1064-7449
• Volume: 2011
• Issue: 2011
• Start Page: 1
• End Page: 8
• Grant/Funding Information: This research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health Grant R01 MH63008 to Rhode Island Hospital (Principal Investigator: Larry K. Brown).
• Research Categories: Psychology, Clinical; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

Objective. Despite recommendations for concurrent use of contraceptives and condoms to prevent unintended pregnancy and STIs, multimethod contraceptive use among women is poor. This study examined individual-, interpersonal-, and environmental-level factors that predict multimethod use among sexually active adolescent women diagnosed with psychological disorders. Methods. This multisite study analyzed data from 288 sexually active adolescent women who provided sociodemographic, psychosocial, and behavioral data related to birth control and condom use. Results. 34.7% of the participants reported multimethod use in the past three months. Controlling for empirically and theoretically relevant covariates, a multivariable logistic regression identified self-efficacy, multiple partners, pregnancy history, parental communication, parental norms about sex, and neighborhood cohesion as significant predictors of multimethod use. Conclusions. While continued targeted messages about multi-method contraceptive use are imperative at the individual level, an uptake in messages targeting interpersonal- and environmental-level factors such as adolescents' parents and the broader community is urgently needed.