A pilot survey of disaster affected women's access to family planning services in Mississippi Gulf Coastal communities

Abstract

Hypothesis/Problem: The purpose of this study was to document the impact of Hurricane's Katrina and Rita on reproductive health of women in Mississippi Gulf Coastal communities. The research question was, “What impact did Hurricane Katrina have on women's access to family planning services along the Mississippi Gulf Coast?”

Methodology: The research design involved completion of a pilot toolkit developed by the CDC Division of Reproductive Health. Women were approached randomly while visiting a clinic (n = 108).

Results: The majority of survey respondents (64.7%) reported being sexually active within the last month. One question investigating prevalence of contraception use among respondents prior to the disaster revealed that the majority (57.6%) were using some form of contraception before the disaster occurred and 88.2% of those reported that their methods were not interrupted by the disaster.

Limitations: The greatest barrier was the length of time between the disaster and data collection. Institutional review board restrictions diminished the number of available participants. The participants had already acquired some connection to healthcare services.

Implications for public health: This tool presents a manageable instrument easily implemented in a disaster zone. If implemented in a timely manner, the survey could reveal vital data to support relief efforts and minimize gaps in women's health services.

Conclusion: Several responses suggest that much education is still needed to achieve optimal utilization of family planning services in the Mississippi Gulf Coastal communities, a potentially valuable intervention in improving birth outcomes and reducing infant mortality in the region.