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Harper CC, Yarger J, Mangurian C, Hopkins K, Rossetto I, Elmes S, Hecht HK, Sanchez A, Hernandez R, Shokat M, Steinberg JR. Mental Health Distress and Delayed Contraception Among Older Adolescents and Young Adults. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2024; 33:870-878. [PMID: 38465503 PMCID: PMC11302189 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2023.0549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Symptoms of mental distress increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among older adolescents and young adults. Mental health distress may make it more challenging for young people to seek other needed health care, including contraception. This study explored the association of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress with delays in getting a contraceptive method or prescription. Materials and Methods: Data from a supplementary study (May 15, 2020-March 20, 2023) to a cluster randomized trial in 29 sites in Texas and California were used. The diverse study sample included community college students assigned female at birth of ages 18-29 years (n = 1,665 with 7,023 observations over time). We measured the association of depression (CES-D [Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale]) or anxiety and stress (DASS-21 [Depression Anxiety Stress Scales]) symptoms with delayed contraceptive care-seeking with mixed-effects multivariable regression with random effects for individual and site. We controlled for age and sociodemographic factors important for access to care. Results: Over one-third of participants (35%) reported they delayed getting the contraceptive method they needed. Multivariable regression results showed increased odds of delayed contraceptive care among participants with symptoms of depression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-1.96). Likewise, delays were associated with anxiety and stress symptoms (aOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.17-1.82). Adolescents were more likely to delay seeking contraception than young adults (aOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.07-1.63). Conclusions: Results showed a strong association between mental distress and delayed contraception. Interventions are needed to increase contraceptive access for young people delaying care, along with supportive mental health care services, including for adolescents who face elevated odds of delay. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03519685.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia C. Harper
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jennifer Yarger
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Christina Mangurian
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kristine Hopkins
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Irene Rossetto
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Sarah Elmes
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Hannah K. Hecht
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Audrey Sanchez
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | | | - Mitra Shokat
- School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Julia R. Steinberg
- Department of Family Science, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
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2
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Saglam Aksut R, Inam O. Evaluation of telemedicine for contraceptive counseling given to pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial. Health Care Women Int 2024:1-19. [PMID: 38940954 DOI: 10.1080/07399332.2024.2371386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of telemedicine for contraceptive counseling on knowledge levels and satisfaction with Family Planning Services. We collected data from 77 third-trimester pregnant women using a personal information form, Family Planning Knowledge Questionnaire, and the Satisfaction with Family Planning Services Scale and compared the data using chi-square test, Fisher's exact chi-square test, t-test for independent and dependent groups and Mann-Whitney U analysis. The experimental group participants (n = 37) received two informative video visits for contraceptive counseling, while the women in the control group (n = 40) received routine face-to-face Family Planning Services at their primary health care center. Participants in the experimental group showed a greater increase in knowledge levels and higher satisfaction with Family Planning Services than those in the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we determined that telemedicine for contraceptive counseling is a promising option even beyond the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Saglam Aksut
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing Department, Fenerbahçe University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ozen Inam
- Vocational School, Maltepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
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3
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Dozier JL, Burke AE, McMahon HV, Berger BO, Quasebarth M, Sufrin C, Bell SO. "Maybe if we weren't in the pandemic, I would have reconsidered": Experiences of abortion care-seeking during the COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland. PERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2024; 56:124-135. [PMID: 38655782 DOI: 10.1111/psrh.12265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To understand the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on abortion care-seeking in Maryland, a state with Medicaid coverage for abortion, high service availability, and laws supporting abortion rights. METHODS We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 15 women who had an abortion between January 2021 and March 2022 at a hospital-based clinic in a mid-sized Maryland city. We purposively recruited participants with varied pandemic financial impacts. Interview questions prompted participants to reflect on how the pandemic affected their lives, pregnancy decisions, and experiences seeking abortion care. We analyzed our data for themes. RESULTS All participants had some insurance coverage for their abortion; over half paid using Medicaid. Many participants experienced pandemic financial hardship, with several reporting job, food, and housing insecurity as circumstances influencing their decision to have an abortion. Most women who self-reported minimal financial hardship caused by the pandemic indicated they sought an abortion for reasons unrelated to COVID-19. In contrast, women with economic hardship viewed their pregnancies as unsupportable due to COVID-19 exacerbating financial instability, even when they desired to continue the pregnancy. All participants expressed that having an abortion was the best decision for their lives. Yet, when making decisions about their pregnancy, the most financially disadvantaged women weighed their desires against the pandemic's constraints on their reproductive self-determination. CONCLUSIONS The pandemic changed abortion care-seeking circumstances even in a setting with minimal access barriers. Financial hardship influenced some women to have an abortion for a pregnancy that-while unplanned-they may have preferred to continue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Dozier
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anne E Burke
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hayley V McMahon
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Blair O Berger
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Madeline Quasebarth
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Carolyn Sufrin
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Suzanne O Bell
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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4
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Pierson BC, Banaag A, Janvrin ML, Koehlmoos TP. Vasectomy incidence in the military health system after the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Int J Impot Res 2024:10.1038/s41443-024-00905-7. [PMID: 38762601 DOI: 10.1038/s41443-024-00905-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (Dobbs decision) has already had profound impact on reproductive health care in the United States. Some studies have reported increased incidence of vasectomy after the Dobbs decision. The Military Health System (MHS) provides a unique opportunity to evaluate this relationship in a universally insured, geographically representative population. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of vasectomies among all male beneficiaries in the MHS, ages 18 to 64, from 2018 to 2022. Beneficiaries receiving a vasectomy were identified via billing data extraction from the MHS Data Repository (MDR). Descriptive statistics of demographic factors of all those receiving a vasectomy in the study period were evaluated. Crude and multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate for differences in demographic variables in those receiving a vasectomy pre-Dobb's decision as compared to after the Dobb's decision. The total number of men receiving a vasectomy each month over the study period was analyzed, as were the numbers in a state immediately implementing abortion access restrictions (Texas), and one without any restrictions on abortion access (Virginia). Our analysis found that men receiving a vasectomy post-Dobbs decision were more likely to be younger, unmarried, and of junior military rank than prior to the Dobbs decision. In the months following the Dobbs decision in 2022 (June-December), there was a 22.1% increase in vasectomy utilization as compared to the averages of those months in 2018-2021. Further, it was found that the relative increase in vasectomy after the Dobbs decision was greater in Texas (29.3%) compared to Virginia (10.6%). Our findings highlight the impact of the Dobbs decision on reproductive health care utilization outside of abortion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C Pierson
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Amanda Banaag
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Miranda Lynn Janvrin
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
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5
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Decker SL, Zuvekas SH. A Nationally Representative Summary of 2020 Changes in the Use of Health Care in the United States. J Ambul Care Manage 2024; 47:64-83. [PMID: 38345888 DOI: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic produced an unprecedented shock to the U.S. health care system. Prior literature documenting 2020 changes has been limited to certain types of care or subsets of patients. We use the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to summarize changes in all types of health care from 2018 through 2020. Outpatient visits, emergency department visits, and inpatient admissions each fell about 35% in April 2020. Dental visits fell over 80%. Ophthalmology visits declined 71% and mammograms 82%. Psychiatric visits rose slightly (1.6%). By the end of 2020, specialist physician visits recovered, though primary care and dental visits remained 12% lower than 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Decker
- Author Affiliations: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD (Drs Decker and Zuvekas)
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6
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Eliason EL, Bellerose M. Changes in postpartum insurance and care use by disability status during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disabil Health J 2024; 17:101581. [PMID: 38233252 DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2024.101581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with disabilities face unique health needs and barriers to perinatal care. The pandemic may have worsened health care access disparities, while pandemic-era Medicaid provisions potentially improved access via increased insurance coverage. OBJECTIVE We assessed changes in postpartum insurance, visits, and reproductive health care during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and PHE Medicaid provisions among individuals with disabilities versus individuals without disabilities. METHODS We used the 2019-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey and Disability Supplement to compare changes in postpartum outcomes by disability status during COVID-19. Adjusted regression models included an interaction term between disability status and postpartum exposure to the PHE. Comparative differences were examined overall, among low-income respondents, and among respondents with Medicaid-paid deliveries. RESULTS During the PHE, there was a significant increase in postpartum Medicaid by 7.1% points (95 % CI: 0.6, 13.6) and a decrease in uninsurance by 5.2% points (95 % CI: -9.0, -1.4) among respondents with disabilities relative to those without. There was a significant increase in postpartum contraception during the PHE among respondents with disabilities relative to those without by 6.3% points (95 % CI: -0.1, 12.5). The PHE was associated with larger increases in postpartum Medicaid and larger decreases in postpartum uninsurance among low-income respondents, with similar estimates among respondents with Medicaid-insured deliveries. CONCLUSIONS During the COVID-19 PHE, individuals with disabilities saw increased postpartum insurance and improved contraceptive use. As PHE Medicaid provisions are rolled back, these differential improvements should be factored into decisions about postpartum Medicaid eligibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Eliason
- Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main St, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
| | - Meghan Bellerose
- Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main St, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
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7
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Curtis KM, Kulkarni AD, Nguyen AT, Zapata LB, Kortsmit K, Smith RA, Whiteman MK. Changes in Commercial Insurance Claims for Contraceptive Services During the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic-United States, January 2019-September 2020. Womens Health Issues 2024; 34:186-196. [PMID: 38065719 PMCID: PMC11283820 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We describe changes in commercial insurance claims for contraceptive services during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We analyzed commercial insurance claims using IQVIA PharMetrics Plus data from more than 9 million U.S. females aged 15-49 years, enrolled during any month, January 2019 through September 2020. We calculated monthly rates of outpatient claims for intrauterine devices (IUDs), implants, and injectable contraception and monthly rates of pharmacy claims for contraceptive pills, patches, and rings. We used Joinpoint regression analysis to identify when statistically significant changes occurred in trends of monthly claims rates for each contraceptive method. We calculated monthly percentages of claims for contraceptive counseling via telehealth. RESULTS Monthly claims rates decreased for IUDs (-50%) and implants (-43%) comparing February 2020 with April 2020 but rebounded by June 2020. Monthly claims rates for injectables decreased (-19%) comparing January 2019 with September 2020, and monthly claims rates for pills, patches, and rings decreased (-22%) comparing July 2019 with September 2020. The percentage of claims for contraceptive counseling occurring via telehealth was low (<1%) in 2019, increased to 34% in April 2020, and decreased to 9-12% in June-September 2020. CONCLUSIONS Substantial changes in commercial insurance claims for contraceptive services occurred during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, including transient decreases in IUD and implant claims and increases in telehealth contraceptive counseling claims. Contraceptive claims data can be used by decision makers to identify service gaps and evaluate use of interventions like telehealth to improve contraceptive access, including during public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Curtis
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Aniket D Kulkarni
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Antoinette T Nguyen
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lauren B Zapata
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Katherine Kortsmit
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ruben A Smith
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Maura K Whiteman
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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Jensen R, Habib A, Lenus S, Lee J. The Impact of COVID-19 and Policy Changes on Immediate Postpartum Contraception and Permanent Contraception at an Urban Hospital: A Retrospective Cohort Study. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2023; 32:1340-1345. [PMID: 37902780 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2023.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to increased use of telemedicine visits and a temporary suspension of interval tubal ligations, providers at the University of Maryland Medical Center were encouraged to counsel patients interested in long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) about immediate postpartum placement. We assessed immediate postpartum contraception uptake following these policy changes. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we compared patients who delivered a live born infant(s) before the pandemic ("pre-COVID cohort," December 16, 2019-March 1, 2020) and at the beginning of the pandemic ("during-COVID cohort," March 16-May 31, 2020). We collected electronic medical record data, including sociodemographic characteristics and contraception choices antenatally and through 1 year postpartum for 631 patients (321 pre-COVID, 310 during-COVID). Results: Odds of immediate postpartum LARC use in the during-COVID cohort were 33% higher than in the pre-COVID cohort, but this was not statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 0.81-2.19). We found no difference in numbers of patients who received immediate postpartum tubal ligation (10% pre-COVID vs. 11% during-COVID). No patients in the during-COVID cohort obtained interval tubal ligations within 6 months of delivery. Contraceptive choices differed at postpartum visits (p = 0.03), with a decrease in delayed postpartum LARC placement in the during-COVID cohort (15% pre-COVID vs. 8% during-COVID). Conclusions: When COVID-19-related hospital policies prompted increased counseling on immediate postpartum LARC and suspension of interval tubal ligations, patients tended to be more likely to choose immediate postpartum LARC. Situational resource restrictions and targeted counseling may influence patient choices and access to desired contraceptive methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Jensen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alyssar Habib
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sasha Lenus
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jessica Lee
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Busse CE, Latour CD, Dejene SZ, Knittel AK, Wood ME, Kinlaw AC, Dissanayake MV. Incidence of new outpatient long-acting reversible contraceptive insertions among a commercially insured, US population from 2010 to 2020. Contracept X 2023; 5:100101. [PMID: 37823033 PMCID: PMC10562738 DOI: 10.1016/j.conx.2023.100101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Characterize new use of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), highly effective contraceptive methods, in a broad population over time. Study Design We constructed a retrospective cohort of commercially insured individuals aged 15 to 54 years from 2010 to 2020 and estimated monthly incidence of new LARC insertions. Results The monthly standardized incidence increased from 6.0 insertions per 10,000 individuals in January 2010 to 14.1 in December 2020, with a dip in insertions after March 2020. Hormonal intrauterine devices were consistently the most inserted LARC; implants were increasingly favored over time. Conclusions LARCs are increasingly popular forms of contraception among commercially insured individuals. Implications Given the increasing popularity, ensuring access to LARCs is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara E. Busse
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Chase D. Latour
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Sara Z. Dejene
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Andrea K. Knittel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Mollie E. Wood
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Alan C. Kinlaw
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Mekhala V. Dissanayake
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Merz-Herrala AA, Kerns JL, Logan R, Gutierrez S, Marshall C, Diamond-Smith N. Contraceptive care in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: A social media survey of contraceptive access, telehealth use and telehealth quality. Contraception 2023; 123:110000. [PMID: 36871620 PMCID: PMC9985539 DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2023.110000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine demographic, socioeconomic, and regional differences in contraceptive access, differences between telehealth and in-person contraception visits, and telehealth quality in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN We surveyed reproductive-age women about contraception visits during the COVID-19 pandemic via social media in July 2020 and January 2021. We used multivariable regression to examine relationships between age, racial/ethnic identity, educational attainment, income, insurance type, region, and COVID-19 related hardship, and ability to obtain a contraceptive appointment, telehealth vs in-person visits, and telehealth quality scores. RESULTS Among 2031 respondents seeking a contraception visit, 1490 (73.4%) reported any visit, of which 530 (35.6%) were telehealth. In adjusted analyses, lower odds of any visit was associated with Hispanic/Latinx and Mixed race/Other identity (aOR 0.59 [0.37-0.94], aOR 0.36 [0.22-0.59], respectively), the South, Midwest, Northeast (aOR 0.63 [0.47-0.85], aOR 0.64 [0.46-0.90], aOR 0.52 [CI 0.36-0.75], respectively), no insurance (aOR 0.63 [0.43-0.91]), greater COVID-19 hardship (aOR 0.52 [0.31-0.87]), and earlier pandemic timing (January 2021 vs July 2020 aOR 2.14 [1.69-2.70]). Respondents from the Midwest and South had lower odds of telehealth vs in-person care (aOR 0.63 [0.44-0.88], aOR 0.54 [0.40-0.72], respectively). Hispanic/Latinx respondents and those in the Midwest had lower odds of high telehealth quality (aOR 0.37 [0.17-0.80], aOR 0.58 [0.35-0.95], respectively). CONCLUSIONS We found inequities in contraceptive care access, less telehealth use for contraception visits in the South and Midwest, and lower telehealth quality among Hispanic/Latinx people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should focus on telehealth access, quality, and patients' preferences. IMPLICATIONS Historically marginalized groups have faced disproportionate barriers to contraceptive care, and telehealth for contraceptive care has not been employed equitably during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though telehealth has the potential to improve access to care, inequitable implementation could exacerbate existing disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison A Merz-Herrala
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, CA, United States.
| | - Jennifer L Kerns
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Rachel Logan
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Family and Community Medicine, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Sirena Gutierrez
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Cassondra Marshall
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Nadia Diamond-Smith
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact, affecting people's physical and mental health, and their social and economic circumstances. Mitigation measures have disproportionately affected women. Studies have reported menstrual cycle and psychological disturbance associated with the pandemic. Pregnancy is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 disease. Reports have also demonstrated associations between COVID-19 infection, vaccination and Long COVID syndrome and reproductive health disturbance. However, studies are limited and there may be significant geographical variation. Also there is bias amongst published studies, and menstrual cycle data was not included in COVID-19 and vaccine trials. Longitudinal population based studies are required. In this review we discuss existing data, along with recommendations for further research required in this area. We also discuss a pragmatic approach to women presenting with reproductive health disturbance in the era of the pandemic, encompassing a multi-system assessment of psychological, reproductive health and lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Maher
- Department of Endocrinology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lisa Owens
- Department of Endocrinology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
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Gelsinger C, Palmsten K, Lipkind HS, Pfeiffer M, Ackerman-Banks C, Hutcheon JA, Ahrens KA. Provision of Postpartum Contraception Before and After the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Maine. Public Health Rep 2023:333549231170198. [PMID: 37129355 DOI: 10.1177/00333549231170198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Preliminary findings from selected health systems revealed interruptions in reproductive health care services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We estimated changes in postpartum contraceptive provision associated with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Maine. METHODS We used the Maine Health Data Organization's All Payer Claims Database for deliveries from October 2015 through March 2021 (n = 45 916). Using an interrupted time-series analysis design, we estimated changes in provision rates of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), permanent contraception, and moderately effective contraception within 3 and 60 days of delivery after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We performed 6- and 12-month analyses (April 2020-September 2020, April 2020-March 2021) as compared with the reference period (October 2015-March 2020). We used Poisson regression models to calculate level-change rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS The 6-month analysis found that provision of LARC (RR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.76-2.02) and moderately effective contraception (RR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.33-1.72) within 3 days of delivery increased at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, while provision of LARC (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.97) and moderately effective contraception (RR = 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05-1.11) within 60 days of delivery was stable. Rates of provision of permanent contraception within 3 days (RR = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.63-0.78) and 60 days (RR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.63-0.80) decreased. RRs from the 12-month analysis were generally attenuated. CONCLUSION Disruptions in postpartum provision of permanent contraception occurred at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Maine. Public health policies should include guidance for contraceptive provision during public health emergencies and consider designating permanent contraception as a nonelective procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Gelsinger
- Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME, USA
| | - Kristin Palmsten
- Pregnancy and Child Health Research Center, HealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Heather S Lipkind
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mariah Pfeiffer
- Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME, USA
| | | | - Jennifer A Hutcheon
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Katherine A Ahrens
- Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME, USA
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13
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Upadhyay S, Flora R, Rajaee A, Ugiliweneza B, Iles AM. Training of Family Medicine residents in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. J Family Med Prim Care 2023; 12:996-1002. [PMID: 37448918 PMCID: PMC10336927 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1777_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The immediate impact of the pandemic on resident training has been well documented. As the pandemic and its effects persisted beyond what was initially predicted, this study aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on the training of family medicine (FM) residents a year after it began and to assess the burnout residents experienced during this period. Methods The survey was conducted between January 18 and February 18, 2021. Participation was solicited via an email sent to the program directors throughout the US, who were asked to circulate the survey among their residents. The questionnaire was divided into sections to assess the impact of the pandemic on clinical training, didactics, and preparedness for the next phase in the career. In addition, the burnout experienced was assessed using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. Results 227 responses were analyzed. 83% (n = 186) of respondents felt that the pandemic had a negative impact on their training and 63% (n = 141) felt that the pandemic had a negative impact on didactics. 50% (n = 44) of the third-year residents thought that they would be able to meet the graduation requirement for outpatient encounters. 41% (n = 36) of the third-year residents felt less prepared for the next step in their careers. 119 respondents met the cutoff threshold for personal burnout, 134 for work-related burnout, and 65 for client-related burnout. Conclusion Residency training is difficult with high reported rates of burnout before the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reinforces the evidence that the pandemic made both mental well-being and adequate training more difficult for FM residents across the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Upadhyay
- Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Rebecca Flora
- Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Arezoo Rajaee
- Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Beatrice Ugiliweneza
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Ashley M. Iles
- Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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14
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Pearlman Shapiro M, Myo M, Chen T, Nathan A, Raidoo S. Remote Provision of Medication Abortion and Contraception Through Telemedicine. Obstet Gynecol 2023:00006250-990000000-00746. [PMID: 37054393 DOI: 10.1097/aog.0000000000005205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
This Narrative Review describes the remote provision of family planning services, including medication abortion and contraception, through telemedicine. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was a catalyst to shift toward telemedicine to maintain and expand access to crucial reproductive health services when public health measures necessitated social distancing. There are legal and political considerations when providing medication abortion through telemedicine, along with unique challenges, even more so after the Dobbs decision starkly limited options for much of the country. This review includes the literature describing the logistics of telemedicine and modes of delivery for medication abortion and details special considerations for contraceptive counseling. Health care professionals should feel empowered to adopt telemedicine practices to provide family planning services to their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marit Pearlman Shapiro
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; and the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii
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15
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Chen E, Hollowell A, Truong T, Bentley-Edwards K, Myers E, Erkanli A, Holt L, Swartz JJ. Contraceptive Access and Use Among Undergraduate and Graduate Students During COVID-19: Online Survey Study. JMIR Form Res 2023; 7:e38491. [PMID: 36827491 PMCID: PMC10018798 DOI: 10.2196/38491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread college campus closures in the months of March to June 2020, endangering students' access to on-campus health resources, including reproductive health services. OBJECTIVE To assess contraceptive access and use among undergraduate and graduate students in North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at degree-granting institutions in North Carolina. Participants were recruited using targeted Instagram advertisements. The survey queried several aspects of participants' sexual behavior, including sex drive, level of sexual experience, number of sexual partners, digital sexual experience, dating patterns, and types of contraception used. Participants were asked to compare many of these behaviors before and after the pandemic. The survey also assessed several sociodemographic factors that we hypothesized would be associated with contraceptive use based on prior data, including educational background, sexual orientation and gender minority status (ie, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer), health insurance status, race, ethnicity, degree of sensation seeking, religiosity, and desire to become pregnant. RESULTS Over 10 days, 2035 Instagram users began our survey, of whom 1002 met eligibility criteria. Of these 1002 eligible participants, 934 completed the survey, for a 93% completion rate. Our respondents were mostly female (665/934, 71%), cisgender (877/934, 94%), heterosexual (592/934, 64%), white (695/934 75%), not Hispanic (835/934, 89%), and enrolled at a 4-year college (618/934, 66%). Over 95% (895/934) of respondents reported that they maintained access to their preferred contraception during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a multivariable analysis, participants who were enrolled in a 4-year college or graduate program were less likely to lose contraceptive access when compared to participants enrolled in a 2-year college (risk ratio [RR] 0.34, 95% CI 0.16-0.71); in addition, when compared to cisgender participants, nonbinary and transgender participants were more likely to lose contraceptive access (RR 2.43, 95% CI 1.01-5.87). Respondents reported that they were more interested in using telehealth to access contraception during the pandemic. The contraceptive methods most commonly used by our participants were, in order, condoms (331/934, 35.4%), oral contraception (303/934, 32.4%), and long-acting reversible contraception (LARC; 221/934, 23.7%). The rate of LARC use among our participants was higher than the national average for this age group (14%). Emergency contraception was uncommonly used (25/934, 2.7%). CONCLUSIONS Undergraduate and graduate students in North Carolina overwhelmingly reported that they maintained access to their preferred contraceptive methods during the COVID-19 pandemic and through changing patterns of health care access, including telehealth. Gender nonbinary and transgender students and 2-year college students may have been at greater risk of losing access to contraception during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Chen
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Adam Hollowell
- Samuel Dubois Cook Center on Social Equity, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Tracy Truong
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Keisha Bentley-Edwards
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Evan Myers
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Alaattin Erkanli
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Lauren Holt
- School of Nursing, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jonas J Swartz
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
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16
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Jacapenga RR, Surita F, Bahamondes L, Juliato CRT. Acceptance rate of post-placental plac ement of intrauterine devices during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. EUR J CONTRACEP REPR 2023; 28:92-96. [PMID: 36803168 DOI: 10.1080/13625187.2023.2173004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the acceptance rate of post-placental intrauterine device (PPIUD) placement during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic and to to assess factors associated with PPIUD acceptance. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2020 and August 2021. PPIUDs were offered to women scheduled for caesarean delivery or admitted in labour at the Women's Hospital of the University of Campinas. The study compared women according to whether they accepted or did not accept the IUD placement. The factors associated with PPIUD acceptance were analysed through bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS We enrolled 299 women (15.9% of the deliveries that occurred during study period), aged 26.8 ± 6.5 years; 41.8% were White, almost one third were primiparous, and 155/299 (51.8%) had a vaginal delivery. The PPIUD acceptance rate was 65.6%. The principal reason for refusal was the desire for another contraceptive (41.8%). Women with the highest likelihood of accepting a PPIUD were younger (<30 years old has 1.7 more likely or 74% greater), those without a partner (3.4 times more likely) and those after vaginal delivery (1.7 times more likely or 69% greater). CONCLUSION The COVID-19 does not affected the PPIUD placement. PPIUD is a viable alternative during crisis in which women has difficult to access health services. Younger women, those without a partner and after vaginal delivery were more likely to accept a PPIUD during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo R Jacapenga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP) Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Surita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP) Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Luis Bahamondes
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP) Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Cássia R T Juliato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP) Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas, Brazil
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17
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Steiner RJ, Zapata LB, Curtis KM, Whiteman MK, Carvalho Guimarães MA, Fasula AM, Tromble EE, Brittain AW, Nguyen A. Is the COVID-19 Pandemic Continuing to Impact Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Adolescents? Findings From a 2021 Survey of US Physicians. J Adolesc Health 2023; 72:696-702. [PMID: 36775748 PMCID: PMC9916602 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Fall 2021 on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services among physicians whose practice provided these services to adolescents just before the pandemic. METHODS Data were from the DocStyles online panel survey administered September-November 2021 to US physicians who reported their practice provided SRH services to adolescent patients before the pandemic (n = 948). We calculated prevalence of service delivery challenges (e.g., limited long-acting reversible contraception services) and use of strategies to support access (e.g., telehealth) in the month prior to survey completion, compared these estimates with prevalence "at any point during the COVID-19 pandemic", and examined differences by physician specialty and adolescent patient volume. RESULTS Fewer physicians reported their practice experienced service delivery challenges in the month prior to survey completion than at any point during the pandemic. About 10% indicated limited long-acting reversible contraception and sexually transmitted infection testing services in the prior month overall; prevalence varied by physician specialty (e.g., 26% and 17%, respectively by service, among internists). Overall, about 25% of physicians reported reductions in walk-in hours, weekend/evening hours, and adolescents seeking care in the prior month. While most practices that initiated strategies supporting access to services during the pandemic used such strategies in the prior month, some practices (22%-37% depending on the strategy) did not. DISCUSSION Findings suggest some physicians who serve adolescents continued to experience challenges providing SRH services in the Fall 2021, and some discontinued strategies to support access that had been initiated during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley J. Steiner
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, Georgia,Address correspondence to: Riley J. Steiner, M.P.H., Ph.D., Senior Director, Research and Evaluation, Power to Decide
| | - Lauren B. Zapata
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kathryn M. Curtis
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Maura K. Whiteman
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Amy M. Fasula
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Erin E. Tromble
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of STD Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anna W. Brittain
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Antoinette Nguyen
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, Georgia
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18
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Burke KL, Sierra G, Lerma K, White K. Service delivery at Title X sites in Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic. PERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 54:198-207. [PMID: 36336334 DOI: 10.1363/psrh.12211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The important role of Title X sites in supporting publicly funded reproductive healthcare was elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people experienced economic uncertainty and changed their fertility preferences. In this study, we assessed changes in service delivery during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic at Title X-supported sites in Texas, a large state with a high uninsured rate and a diverse Title X network. METHODS Using surveys of Title X-funded organizations in Texas from April and November 2020, we examined the percentage of organizations reporting service modifications. With administrative data on 507,947 client encounters between March 2019 and March 2021, we assessed change in client volume at the onset of the pandemic and evaluated the association between regional COVID-19 case rates and the provision of key Title X services. RESULTS In April 2020, most organizations (78%) limited in-person operations while implementing telehealth (74%) and contactless contraception (67%). Network-wide encounter volume declined by 26% at pandemic onset (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.65, 0.84). Health departments experienced the steepest declines in encounter volume (IRR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.36-0.50). Weekly encounters, particularly for long-acting reversible method placement/removal and sexually transmitted infection testing, decreased as COVID-19 rates increased. CONCLUSIONS Investment in public health infrastructure, including providing robust support to health departments as well as rebuilding and expanding the Title X network, is essential to safeguarding access to publicly funded reproductive healthcare during and after the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Lagasse Burke
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Sociology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Gracia Sierra
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Klaira Lerma
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Kari White
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Sociology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Steve Hicks School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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19
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Rokicki S, Steenland MW, Geiger CK, Gourevitch RA, Chen L, Martin MW, Cohen JL. Trends in postpartum mental health care before and during COVID-19. Health Serv Res 2022; 57:1342-1347. [PMID: 36059179 PMCID: PMC9539265 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of COVID-19 on trends in postpartum mental health diagnoses and utilization of psychotherapy and prescription drug treatment. DATA SOURCES Data were obtained from a large, national health insurance claims database that tracks individuals longitudinally. STUDY DESIGN We used interrupted time series models to examine changes in trends of postpartum mental health diagnoses before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and t-tests to examine differences in treatment. DATA EXTRACTION METHODS We used billing codes to identify individuals who received mental health-related diagnoses and treatment in the first 90 days after a birth hospitalization. We excluded individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and those with an unknown payer at delivery. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Compared to the pre-pandemic period, the trend in new postpartum mental health diagnoses increased significantly in the post-COVID-19 period (0.06 percentage points [95%CI 0.01, 0.11]). Over 12 months, the percentage of new diagnoses was 5.0% greater relative to what would be expected in absence of COVID-19. The percentage of diagnosed individuals who did not receive treatment increased from 50.4% to 52.7% (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS Findings point to an urgent need to improve screening and treatment pathways for perinatal individuals in the wake of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slawa Rokicki
- Department of Health Behavior, Society, & PolicyRutgers School of Public HealthPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA,Department of Global Health and PopulationHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Maria W. Steenland
- Population Studies and Training CenterBrown UniversityProvidenceRhode IslandUSA
| | - Caroline K. Geiger
- Interfaculty Initiative in Health PolicyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusettsUSA,Evidence for AccessGenentech, Inc.South San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Rebecca A. Gourevitch
- Interfaculty Initiative in Health PolicyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusettsUSA,Department of Health Policy and ManagementUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMarylandUSA
| | - Lucy Chen
- Interfaculty Initiative in Health PolicyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | - Michelle W. Martin
- Department of Social and Behavioral ScienceHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jessica L. Cohen
- Department of Global Health and PopulationHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
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20
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Publicly Funded Family Planning Organizations' Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in Texas. Womens Health Issues 2022; 33:228-234. [PMID: 36535886 PMCID: PMC9666371 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION After the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the use of family planning services decreased, but there are limited data on how safety net providers were affected. METHODS Between November 2020 and March 2021, we conducted in-depth interviews with administrators at health departments, federally qualified health centers and specialized family planning organizations across Texas about pandemic-related changes in family planning services. We analyzed interview transcripts using an inductive thematic approach. RESULTS Administrators at the 19 participating organizations described pervasive service disruptions. Some organizations closed for 6-8 weeks at the pandemic's onset owing to safety uncertainties and difficulty interpreting Texas' March 2020 executive order prohibiting "nonessential" medical services; others later suspended services after staff exposures. Health departments and federally qualified health centers commonly decreased family planning services to focus on coronavirus disease 2019 response, leaving specialized family planning organizations to absorb displaced reproductive health care clients. Some of the advantages of service delivery modifications-including telehealth, curbside and drive-through prescription pickup, and medication by mail-were difficult to realize; barriers included low reimbursement, necessary patient examinations, and clients' confidentiality concerns and lack of technological resources. CONCLUSIONS Texas' diverse network of family planning organizations illustrated a range of responses to the pandemic, and organizations often focused on their core missions-public health, primary care, or family planning.
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21
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Strasser J, Schenk E, Dewhurst E, Chen C. Changes in the Clinical Workforce Providing Contraception and Abortion Care in the US, 2019-2021. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2239657. [PMID: 36318211 PMCID: PMC9627410 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.39657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
This cross-sectional study investigates changes in the workforce providing contraception and abortion services from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Strasser
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Ellen Schenk
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Emma Dewhurst
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Candice Chen
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
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22
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Pelaccio K, Bright D, Dillaway H, O’Connell MB. Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19. PHARMACY 2022; 10:pharmacy10060142. [PMID: 36412818 PMCID: PMC9680515 DOI: 10.3390/pharmacy10060142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic influenced health care with effects on contraception access emerging. The study objectives were to analyze pandemic impacts on birth control (BC) use and access; and evaluate perceptions of pharmacist-prescribed BC. A 50-item survey was distributed by 31 Michigan community pharmacies to women aged 18-45 over a three-month period. The survey link was also posted on two websites. 147 surveys were analyzed. Respondents were 29 ± 7.9 years old, primarily white (77%) and straight (81%). Fifty-eight percent of respondents used prescription BC, mostly to prevent pregnancy (84%) with oral pills (76%) being the most common formulation. Some BC users (25%) were worried about BC access and 27% had difficulty taking BC regularly. Half of the respondents (50%) would likely use pharmacist-prescribed BC if available, with advantages being more convenient than visiting a doctor's office (71%) and easier access (69%). The major concern about pharmacist-prescribed BC was women not receiving PAP smears and screenings (61%). Respondents reported high confidence (72%) in pharmacist-prescribed BC and believe it would help prevent unintended pregnancies (69%). Some respondents experienced altered BC use and access. Half of the respondents supported pharmacist-prescribed BC. Pharmacist-prescribed BC could help solve pandemic-related access problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karli Pelaccio
- Doctor of Pharmacy Program, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - David Bright
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, College of Pharmacy, Ferris State University, 202C Hagerman Pharmacy Building, 220 Ferris Dr., Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA
| | - Heather Dillaway
- College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University, Stevenson Hall 141, Campus Box 4100, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Mary Beth O’Connell
- Pharmacy Practice Department, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Suite 2124, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Correspondence:
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23
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Stifani BM, Madden T, Micks E, Moayedi G, Tarleton J, Benson LS. Society of Family Planning Clinical Recommendations: Contraceptive Care in the Context of Pandemic Response. Contraception 2022; 113:1-12. [PMID: 35594989 PMCID: PMC9113767 DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a burden to healthcare systems around the world and has changed the way people access health services, including contraception. This document sets forth guidance from the Society of Family Planning for providing contraceptive care in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including when access to healthcare is restricted due to pandemic response. It also outlines the role of telehealth for providing contraceptive care beyond the pandemic. Clinicians can use synchronous telemedicine visits and other forms of telehealth to provide many aspects of contraceptive care. Both audio-video and audio-only visits are acceptable forms of telemedicine. Access to permanent contraception should be maintained, especially in the postpartum period. Combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) users who have asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection may continue their contraceptive method, while those admitted to the hospital with severe infection should suspend CHC use until they are clinically recovered. CHC users who take Paxlovid for mild-moderate COVID-19 infection can consider a back-up contraceptive method for the duration of therapy, but clinically relevant drug interactions are unlikely. Future research should examine contraceptive outcomes in people who receive care via telemedicine; and access to telemedicine among historically excluded populations such as adolescents, people of color, people of low socioeconomic status, disabled people, or people who do not speak English as a primary language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca M. Stifani
- New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA,Corresponding Author: Bianca M. Stifani, 19 Bradhurst Ave Suite 2700S, Hawthorne, NY, USA
| | - Tessa Madden
- Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
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Koumpias AM, Schwartzman D, Fleming O. Long-haul COVID: healthcare utilization and medical expenditures 6 months post-diagnosis. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1010. [PMID: 35941617 PMCID: PMC9358916 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08387-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite extensive evidence that COVID-19 symptoms may persist for up to a year, their long-term implications for healthcare utilization and costs 6 months post-diagnosis remain relatively unexplored. We examine patient-level association of COVID-19 diagnosis association of COVID-19 diagnosis with average monthly healthcare utilization and medical expenditures for up to 6 months, explore heterogeneity across age groups and determine for how many months post-diagnosis healthcare utilization and costs of COVID-19 patients persist above pre-diagnosis levels. Methods This population-based retrospective cohort study followed COVID-19 patients’ healthcare utilization and costs from January 2019 through March 2021 using claims data provided by the COVID-19 Research Database. The patient population includes 250,514 individuals infected with COVID-19 during March-September 2020 and whose last recorded claim was not hospitalization with severe symptoms. We measure the monthly number and costs of total visits and by telemedicine, preventive, urgent care, emergency, immunization, cardiology, inpatient or surgical services and established patient or new patient visits. Results The mean (SD) total number of monthly visits and costs pre-diagnosis were .4783 (4.0839) and 128.06 (1182.78) dollars compared with 1.2078 (8.4962) visits and 351.67 (2473.63) dollars post-diagnosis. COVID-19 diagnosis associated with .7269 (95% CI, 0.7088 to 0.7449 visits; P < .001) more total healthcare visits and an additional $223.60 (95% CI, 218.34 to 228.85; P < .001) in monthly costs. Excess monthly utilization and costs for individuals 17 years old and under subside after 5 months to .070 visits and $2.77, persist at substantial levels for all other groups and most pronounced among individuals age 45–64 (.207 visits and $73.43) and 65 years or older (.133 visits and $60.49). Conclusions This study found that COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with increased healthcare utilization and costs over a six-month post-diagnosis period. These findings imply a prolonged burden to the US healthcare system from medical encounters of COVID-19 patients and increased spending. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08387-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios M Koumpias
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, USA
| | - David Schwartzman
- Olin College of Business, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
| | - Owen Fleming
- Department of Economics, Wayne State University, 656 W. Kirby St FAB 2140, Detroit, USA.
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Rocca CH, Parra M, Muñoz I, Foster DG, Boscardin WJ, Ralph LJ. Comparison of Pregnancy Preferences Preceding vs Year 1 of the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2220093. [PMID: 35788671 PMCID: PMC9257576 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.20093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic affected people's desire to avoid pregnancy is essential for interpreting the pandemic's associations with access to reproductive health care and reproductive autonomy. Early research is largely cross-sectional and relies on people's own evaluations of how their desires changed. OBJECTIVE To investigate longitudinal changes in pregnancy desires during the year before and the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this cohort study, participants reported their pregnancy preferences at baseline and quarterly for up to 18 months between March 2019 and March 2021. An interrupted time series analysis with mixed-effects segmented linear regression was used to examine population-averaged time trends. People were recruited from 7 primary and reproductive health care facilities in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Participants were sexually active, pregnancy-capable people aged 15 to 34 years who were not pregnant or sterilized. Data analysis was performed from September 2021 to January 2022. EXPOSURES Continuous time, with knots at the onset of the first (July 1, 2020, summer surge) and second (November 1, 2020, fall surge) COVID-19 cases surges in the Southwest. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Preferences around potential pregnancy in the next 3 months, measured using the validated Desire to Avoid Pregnancy (DAP) scale (range, 0-4, with 4 indicating a higher desire to avoid pregnancy). RESULTS The 627 participants in the analytical sample had a mean (SD) age of 24.9 (4.9) years; 320 (51.0%) identified as Latinx and 180 (28.7%) as White. Over the year before the first case surge in the US Southwest in summer 2020, population-averaged DAP scores decreased steadily over time (-0.06 point per quarter; 95% CI, -0.07 to -0.04 point per quarter; P < .001). During the summer 2020 surge, DAP scores stopped declining (0.05 point per quarter; 95% CI, -0.03 to 0.13 point per quarter; change in slope, P < .001). During the fall 2020 surge, however, DAP scores declined again at -0.11 point per quarter (95% CI, -0.26 to 0.04 point per quarter; change in slope, P = .10). Participants aged 15 to 24 years and those who were nulliparous and primiparous experienced greater declines in DAP score before the summer surge, and greater reversals of decline between summer and fall 2020, than did those who were aged 25 to 34 years and multiparous. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic onset was associated with the stalling of a prior trend toward greater desire for pregnancy over time, particularly for people earlier in their reproductive lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne H. Rocca
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland
| | - Miriam Parra
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland
- School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Isabel Muñoz
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland
- School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley
| | - Diana G. Foster
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland
| | - W. John Boscardin
- School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
- School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Lauren J. Ralph
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland
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Rao L, Comfort AB, Dojiri SS, Goodman S, Yarger J, Shah N, Folse C, Blum M, Hankin J, Harper CC. Telehealth for Contraceptive Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Provider Perspectives. Womens Health Issues 2022; 32:477-483. [PMID: 35691762 PMCID: PMC9110325 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background Telehealth use rapidly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, including for contraceptive care (e.g., counseling and method provision). This study explored providers’ experiences with contraceptive care via telehealth. Methods We conducted a survey with open-ended responses among contraceptive providers across the United States. The study population included physicians, nurse practitioners, health educators, and other health professionals (n = 546). Data were collected from April 10, 2020, to January 29, 2021. We conducted qualitative content analysis of the open-ended responses. Results Providers highlighted the benefits of telehealth, including continuing access to contraceptive services and accommodating patients who faced challenges attending in-person contraceptive visits. Providers at school-based health centers reported telehealth allowed them to reach young people while schools were closed. However, many providers noted a lack of patient awareness about the availability of telehealth services and disparities in access to technology. Providers felt there was less personal connection in virtual contraceptive counseling, noted challenges with confidentiality, and expressed concern about the inability to provide the full range of contraceptive methods through telehealth alone. Conclusions The pandemic significantly impacted contraceptive health care delivery. Telehealth has sustained access to contraception in important ways, but has been accompanied by various challenges, including technological access and confidentiality. As hybrid models of care evolve, it is important to assess how telehealth can play a role in providing contraceptive care while addressing its barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavanya Rao
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California.
| | - Alison B Comfort
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
| | - S Sei Dojiri
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
| | - Suzan Goodman
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
| | - Jennifer Yarger
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
| | - Nishant Shah
- Planned Parenthood of Maryland, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland
| | - Connie Folse
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
| | - Maya Blum
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
| | - Julia Hankin
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
| | - Cynthia C Harper
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
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Comfort AB, Rao L, Goodman S, Raine-Bennett T, Barney A, Mengesha B, Harper CC. Assessing differences in contraceptive provision through telemedicine among reproductive health providers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Reprod Health 2022; 19:99. [PMID: 35459218 PMCID: PMC9026031 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-022-01388-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Providers faced challenges in maintaining patient access to contraceptive services and public health safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to increased barriers to care, providers increasingly used telemedicine for contraceptive care, curbside services, mail-order pharmacies, and on-line or home delivery of contraceptive methods, including self-administration of subcutaneous depo medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SQ). To better understand how reproductive health providers adapted service provision during the pandemic, this study assessed clinical practice changes and strategies providers adopted throughout the United States to maintain contraceptive care, particularly when clinics closed on-site, and the challenges that remained in offering contraceptive services, especially to marginalized patient populations. Methods We surveyed U.S. providers and clinic staff (n = 907) in April 2020–January 2021, collecting data on contraceptive service delivery challenges and adaptations, including telemedicine. We assessed clinical practice changes with multivariate regression analyses using generalized linear models with a Poisson distribution and cluster robust standard errors, adjusting for clinic patient volume, practice setting, region, Title X funding, and time of survey. Results While 80% of providers reported their clinic remained open, 20% were closed on-site. Providers said the pandemic made it more difficult to offer the full range of contraceptive methods (65%), contraceptive counseling (61%) or to meet the needs of patients in marginalized communities (50%). While only 11% of providers offered telemedicine pre-pandemic, most offered telemedicine visits (79%) during the pandemic. Some used mail-order pharmacies (35%), curbside contraceptive services (22%), and DMPA-SQ for self-administration (10%). Clinics that closed on-site were more likely to use mail-order pharmacies (aRR 1.83, 95% CI [1.37–2.44]) and prescribe self-administered DMPA-SQ (aRR 3.85, 95% CI [2.40–6.18]). Clinics closed on-site were just as likely to use telemedicine as those that remained open. Among clinics using telemedicine, those closed on-site continued facing challenges in contraceptive service provision. Conclusions Clinics closing on-site were just as likely to offer telemedicine, but faced greater challenges in offering contraceptive counseling and the full range of contraceptive methods, and meeting the needs of marginalized communities. Maintaining in-person care for contraceptive services, in spite of staffing shortages and financial difficulties, is an important objective during and beyond the pandemic. Providers faced challenges in maintaining patient access to contraceptive services and public health safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to increased barriers to care, providers increasingly used telemedicine for contraceptive care as well as using curbside services, mail-order pharmacies, and on-line or home delivery of contraceptive methods, including self-administration of subcutaneous depo medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SQ). This study examined use of telemedicine and other clinical practice changes among U.S. contraceptive providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We surveyed providers (n=907) in April 2020–January 2021, collecting data on contraceptive service delivery challenges and adaptations, including telemedicine. Our analyses showed that, in response to the pandemic, many clinics adopted telemedicine to offer contraceptive services. Furthermore, clinics that were closed on-site were just as likely to start offering telemedicine visits during the pandemic as those that remained open. Despite these adaptions, clinics still faced challenges in offering the full range of contraceptive methods, providing contraceptive counseling, and meeting the needs of patients in marginalized communities. Offering telemedicine visits during the pandemic did not reduce the challenges in offering contraceptive services. Few studies have focused on providers and the clinical practice changes they rapidly achieved to maintain contraceptive access for their patients during the pandemic. Our results highlighted that telemedicine should be considered as a complement to on-site care because of the challenges in providing full services without in-person visits. Maintaining in-person care for contraceptive services, in spite of staffing shortages and financial difficulties, is an important objective during and beyond the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison B Comfort
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 3rd floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Lavanya Rao
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 3rd floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.,Deloitte, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Suzan Goodman
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tina Raine-Bennett
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USA.,Medicines360, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Angela Barney
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Biftu Mengesha
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 3rd floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Cynthia C Harper
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 3rd floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
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Ellison J, Cole MB, Thompson TA. Association of Telehealth Reimbursement Parity With Contraceptive Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e226732. [PMID: 35404462 PMCID: PMC9002337 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.6732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Ellison
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Megan B. Cole
- Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Walker SH. Effect of the Covid pandemic on progestogen-only and oestrogen-containing contraceptive prescribing in general practice: a retrospective analysis of English prescribing data. EUR J CONTRACEP REPR 2022; 27:272-277. [PMID: 35297274 DOI: 10.1080/13625187.2022.2045935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This paper looks at how trends in contraceptive prescribing by General Practices in England were affected by the Covid pandemic and lockdown. It compares English prescribing data from May 2014 to May 2021, including the period of 'lockdown', from April 20-June 20. DESIGN & SETTING A retrospective analysis of the English Prescribing Dataset which reports monthly on prescribed items from English General Practices was carried out. Data on all forms of prescribed contraceptive methods were extracted using British National Formulary (BNF) codes, and total quantities tabulated by method, then transformed into 'months of contraception provided' by each method. RESULTS Prescription of the combined oral contraceptive pill reduced by 22% during the period of lockdown compared to the same three months in 2019. Prescriptions of Progestogen-Only pills remained stable. This continued a trend in oral contraceptive prescribing evident from May14. Prescription of long-acting methods reduced during the period of lockdown, with the greatest reductions in implants (76% reduction from pre-lockdown levels), intra-uterine systems (79% reduction from pre-lockdown levels) and intrauterine devices (76% reduction from pre-lockdown levels). These rates of contraceptive provision recovered quickly after the period of lockdown ended. CONCLUSIONS The disruption of face-to-face contraceptive consultations in General Practice during a Covid-19 'lockdown' has resulted in a reduction in oestrogen -containing methods compared to progestogen-only methods, which require less face-to-face monitoring. Implant and intrauterine contraceptive device prescription reduced by three quarters over the first three months of lockdown, but rebounded in the next year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan H Walker
- Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, UK
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Kakar V, Kulkarni A, Holschuh C, Smirnova A, Modrek S. Contraception Information on the Websites of Student Health Centers in the United States. Contraception 2022; 112:68-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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