Oral

Health policies have significant, sometimes unexpected effects on reproductive health. This panel will address the consequences of different types of health policy decisions. The first panelist will discuss policies for dispensing oral contraceptives; analyzing the association between discontinuation and imperfect use of oral contraceptives and dispensing practices. Lessons learned from a program using GIS to evaluate and monitor California’s family planning program will be discussed, including examples of use of GIS to create maps and reports. Turning to Oregon, the effects of citizenship documentation requirements of the state family planning Medicaid waiver, FPEP (Family Planning Expansion Project), and the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 will be described. The final panelist will explore the effects of health insurance coverage on the use of contraceptives and preventive gynecological services over time, concluding that efforts to increase access to reproductive health care have not benefited uninsured women, who remain vulnerable to unintended pregnancy and poor reproductive health outcomes.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe what the GIS is and what it does for public health research. 2. Analyze the issue surrounding why discontinuation and imperfect use of oral contraceptive pills is a leading cause of unintended pregnancy. 3. Discuss the FPEP in Oregon. 4. Explore the relationship over time between health insurance coverage and use of family planning and related preventive health services.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing