Context of care and contraceptive method use

Objectives. We assessed the relationship between context of care (incorporates insurance status with clinical setting) on contraceptive use among a national sample of reproductive-aged women. Our hypothesis is that compared to privately insured women who receive their health care in private doctors' offices, women who are publicly insured or self-pay and/or receive their health care in a clinic are more likely to use permanent or long-acting contraceptive methods. Methods. The study population, consisting of 4,358 women surveyed as part of the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) who were both at risk of unintended pregnancy and currently sexually active, was analyzed using polytomous logistic regression. Results. Following adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, income, parity and smoking, there was a trend toward long-acting contraceptive use among women with public insurance or who were self-pay, regardless of clinical setting compared to privately insured women seen in private clinics. Self-pay and publicly insured women of low parity tended to use long-acting contraception, as did privately insured women seen in clinics. Conclusions. Insurance information, as well as clinical setting, may guide clinicians' contraceptive decision-making.