Oral

This session examines health care providers’ impact on women’s use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). There are two LARC methods available in the United States: intrauterine contraception and the single-rod implant. They are more effective than any other reversible methods, have high continuation rates, are cost-effective, and are suitable for a broad range of women. Yet these methods remain much less commonly used in the U.S. than in other countries. Low LARC use is partly due to outdated knowledge and practices among health care providers. This session will show how providers’ knowledge about LARC is associated with their training and the health care sector in which they practice, and how this relates to their counseling and provision practices. Results of two nationwide surveys of providers will be presented, along with findings from interviews with patients of California’s Medicaid waiver program providers. An evaluation of one approach to increasing provider familiarity with LARC will also be presented. Increased provider knowledge and familiarity with LARC has the potential to increase women’s use of the methods, ultimately decreasing unintended pregnancy.

Session Objectives: 1) Describe how the LARC knowledge and practices of contraceptive providers differ according to medical specialty 2) Explain how provider training, practice setting, and costs of LARC are associated with counseling and provision 3) Identify the LARC training opportunities for providers of various specialties 4) Compare the characteristics of women who use LARC and women who do not 5) Describe the potential public health impact of increased LARC use in the U.S.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)