Journal article
Contraceptive Attitudes and Beliefs of Women With Sickle Cell Disease: A Qualitative Study
Women's health issues, v 34(4), pp 409-416
01 Jul 2024
PMID: 38704343
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to qualitatively explore factors influencing contraceptive use in women living with sickle cell disease (SCD). Study Design: We conducted a semi-structured qualitative study using data from interviews with reproductive-aged women with SCD. The Theory of Planned Behavior, which describes an individual's attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as drivers of a health behavior, served as a framework for data collection and thematic analysis. Results: We analyzed interviews from 20 participants. Attitudes toward contraception showed skepticism regarding hormonal contraception and concern about adverse effects of contraception related to SCD. The role of subjective norms in contraceptive choice depended on whether participants possessed trusted sources of information, such as health care providers, family, and friends, or whether they relied on themselves alone in their contraceptive decision-making. The influence of health care providers was complicated by inconsistent and sometimes conflicting counseling. Finally, with regard to participants' perceived control in their contraceptive choices, some were motivated to alleviate menstrual pain or prevent SCD-related pregnancy risks, but many reported feeling disempowered in contraceptive decision-making settings because of ways that healthcare providers exerted pressure or responded to participants' demographic characteristics. Conclusions: Women living with SCD are influenced by many factors similar to those documented for other populations when making decisions about contraception. However, SCD amplifies both the importance and risks of contraception and may also complicate individuals' autonomy and contraceptive access. Hematology and reproductive health providers should recognize the risk of coercion, maximize patients' reproductive agency, and coordinate reproductive health counseling for patients with SCD. (c) 2024 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, George Washington University. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Details
- Title
- Contraceptive Attitudes and Beliefs of Women With Sickle Cell Disease: A Qualitative Study
- Creators
- Andrea H. Roe - University of PennsylvaniaJessica Wu - University of PennsylvaniaArden McAllister - University of PennsylvaniaShelley Aragoncillo - University of PennsylvaniaEso fi Nunyi - College Station Medical CenterSamuelle Voltaire - University of PennsylvaniaAllyson Pishko - University of PennsylvaniaFarzana Sayani - University of PennsylvaniaMorine Cebert - Sacred Heart University
- Publication Details
- Women's health issues, v 34(4), pp 409-416
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 8
- Grant note
- University of Pennsylvania University Research Foundation
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001286177600001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85192198296
- Other Identifier
- 991021962291904721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
- Women's Studies