Higgins co-authors article in Contraception

Jenny Higgins, PhD, MPH, professor and director of the Division of Reproductive and Population Health and the Collaborative for Reproductive Equity, recently co-authored an article published in Contraception. Additional authors include Laura Swan, PhD, LCSW; Jane Seymour, PhD, MPH; Allison Hung, MPH; and Megan Kavanaugh. 

In “Reasons for contraceptive and LARC non-use: How preferences and access barriers shape decisions,”  the authors used baseline data from population-based, household surveys conducted in 2019-2020 and examined reasons for contraception non-use among a four-state random sample (Arizona, Iowa, New Jersey, Wisconsin) and reasons why Iowans had never used long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). The researchers found that:

“... personal needs and preferences—not access barriers or clinical gaps—are the primary reasons reported for not using contraception, including LARC. These results align with research emphasizing the importance of method acceptability and perceptions of control and autonomy in patients’ decisions about LARC use. They also support growing calls for patient-centered care that prioritizes individual preferences over metrics focused on contraceptive uptake or method effectiveness.”

Read the whole article here. 

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Melis Baskaya