Funded Projects

Improving Adolescent Adherence to Hormonal Contraception

Grantee: University of Texas Medical Branch
Principal Investigator: Abbey B. Berenson
Project Number: R40MC06634
Project Date: 01/01/2006

Final Report

Improving Adolescent Adherence to Hormonal Contraception Final Report (PDF)

Age group(s)

• Adolescence (12-18 years)

Abstract

Many adolescents who obtain oral contraception from a health care facility become pregnant within 1 year because they do not take their pills for more than a few months. To reduce the number of unintended pregnancies among these young women, programs must be developed and tested that increase the number of adolescents who use effective contraception for an extended period of time. To address this critical need, a multisite, randomized, controlled trial will be conducted that examines the effectiveness of two different interventions on adolescent adherence with oral contraception during the first 12 months of use. In addition, the effect of these interventions on rates of dual use (oral contraception and condoms) will be evaluated. A total of 1,400 adolescents from 16 to 24 years of age who request oral contraception at one of three family planning clinics will be recruited to participate. Adolescents will receive either (1) a clinic-based intervention consisting of face-to-face behavioral counseling and education at the time of the baseline clinic visit; (2) this same clinic-based intervention followed by monthly booster phone calls for the first 6 months that the adolescent uses her new method; or (3) usual care. Phone interviews conducted 3, 6 and 12 months after the baseline visit will assess contraceptive and condom use as well as method satisfaction. Furthermore, clinic records will be reviewed to determine unintended pregnancy rates, attendance at a 3-month follow-up clinic visit for a new supply of contraception, and the results of gonorrhea and chlamydia cultures. Statistical models will be used to evaluate the effect of the interventions (relative to usual care) on contraceptive adherence and dual use of condoms, while adjusting for age and contraceptive method. Secondary analyses will examine the roles of health literacy and pregnancy intentions on contraceptive adherence. If either of these interventions proves successful, this study could make a major difference in the lives of numerous women by decreasing the number who experience an unintended pregnancy or contract a sexually transmitted disease during adolescence.

Publications

Listed is descending order by year published.

DeMaria AL, Lugo JM, Rahman M, Pyles RB, Berenson AB. Association between body mass index, sexually transmitted infections, and contraceptive compliance. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2013 Dec;22(12):1062-1068.

Rahman M, Berenson AB, Herrera S. Perceived susceptibility to pregnancy and its association with safer sex, contraceptive adherence and subsequent pregnancy among adolescent and young adult women. Contraception. 2013 Apr;87(4):437-442.

Rahman M, Berenson AB. Pregnancy test taking is a correlate of unsafe sex, contraceptive nonadherence, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections in adolescent and young adult women. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2013 Apr;22(4):339-343.

Berenson AB, Rahman M. A randomized controlled study of two educational interventions on adherence with oral contraceptives and condoms. Contraception. 2012 Dec;86(6):716-724.