Raine Tina R, Epstein Laura B, Harper Cynthia C, Brown Beth A, Boyer Cherrie B
Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
J Adolesc Health. 2009 Sep;45(3):262-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.02.007. Epub 2009 May 30.
The vaginal ring and the transdermal patch offer important contraceptive options for women at high risk for unintended pregnancy. Little is known about what adolescents and young women think about these methods and why use of the ring has been relatively low compared with the patch. We sought to examine young women's attitudes and perceptions about the ring and the patch to better understand the relationship between perceptions of these methods and decisions to use them.
Sixteen focus groups of young women aged 15-26 years (n=113) from family planning clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area were convened. Data from the focus groups were analyzed using standard content analysis.
Although young women expressed apprehension and doubt about both methods, for the most part women expressed more positive attitudes about the patch. Two related themes for the ring and the patch were identified: "lack of trust in effectiveness," and "method use concerns". Two themes unique to the ring ("concerns regarding vaginal insertion" and "sexual partner perceptions") and three themes unique to the patch ("ease of remembering," "visibility issues," and "perceived health risk") were identified.
Increased provider education about apprehensions related to the ring and the patch may lead to increased use of the ring and may counter recent declines in use of the patch. It would be unfortunate if these safe and effective options for young women were to be underused because negative attitudes and perceptions about these methods acted as barriers to adoption.
阴道环和透皮贴剂为意外怀孕高危女性提供了重要的避孕选择。对于青少年和年轻女性对这些方法的看法以及为何阴道环的使用相对低于透皮贴剂，我们知之甚少。我们试图研究年轻女性对阴道环和透皮贴剂的态度和认知，以更好地理解对这些方法的认知与使用决策之间的关系。
召集了来自旧金山湾区计划生育诊所的16个焦点小组，每组均为15至26岁的年轻女性（n = 113）。使用标准内容分析法对焦点小组的数据进行分析。
尽管年轻女性对这两种方法都表示担忧和怀疑，但在很大程度上，女性对透皮贴剂表达了更积极的态度。确定了与阴道环和透皮贴剂相关的两个主题：“对有效性缺乏信任”和“方法使用担忧”。还确定了阴道环独有的两个主题（“对阴道插入的担忧”和“性伴侣认知”）以及透皮贴剂独有的三个主题（“易于记忆”、“可见性问题”和“感知健康风险”）。
加强医护人员对与阴道环和透皮贴剂相关担忧的教育，可能会增加阴道环的使用，并可能扭转近期透皮贴剂使用量下降的趋势。如果这些针对年轻女性的安全有效选择因对这些方法的负面态度和认知成为采用的障碍而未得到充分利用，那将是不幸的。
