2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

330107
African American and Latino Youth Views on Reproductive Health and Contraception


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 10:30 a.m. - 10:42 a.m.

Rena Dixon, PhD, MPH, MCHES, SC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Columbia, SC
Jennifer Perkins, PhD, MPH, CHES, School of Health Sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Increasing access to reproductive health services for adolescents of color is an integral part of reducing the disparities in teen pregnancy in the United States. A mixed methods study designed and implemented to explore contraceptive knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of contraceptive use, and access to reproductive health services among African American and Latino youth ages 15-19 in South Carolina. A secondary analysis of archived quantitative survey data from 713 youth and qualitative data from 63 youth via 8 focus groups informed the study. Chi Square and ANOVA tests were used for quantitative analysis.

Findings revealed statistically significant relationships between the race/ethnicity and knowledge of contraceptives, and between race/ethnicity and condom use at last sexual encounter. Qualitative data from focus groups were analyzed using a content driven thematic analysis and inductive reasoning. Themes identified for Latino and African American males included, mistrust of both hormonal contraceptives and condoms. African American female themes included mistrust of long-acting contraceptive methods, hormonal contraceptives and condoms. Themes for Latino females included fear of parental reactions to accessing services.  

Results of this study have influenced increased communication to South Carolina teens on minors’ rights and informed health centers providing reproductive health services of teen friendly practices.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related nursing
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe differences in contraceptive use among African American and Latino youth Define differences in perceptions of reproductive health services and contraceptives among African American and Latino youth Identify factors which contribute to the perceptions of reproductive health services and contraceptives among African American and Latino youth.

Keyword(s): Adolescents, Contraception

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I completed my dissertation research on this topic. I also have 10 years of experience working in adolescent reproductive and sexual health. I am also currently working in the field of teen pregnancy prevention. My day to day duties coincide with the areas of contraception and adolescent sexual health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3177.0: Contraceptive decision-making