Department of OBGYN, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate, Springfield, MA, United States.
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts-Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Amherst, MA, United States.
Contraception. 2023 Dec;128:110138. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2023.110138. Epub 2023 Aug 6.
This study aimed to characterize awareness of a 2017 Massachusetts (MA) law that ensures access to a 12-month supply of short-acting contraceptive methods (e.g., pill, patch, and vaginal ring) among short-acting contraceptive users in MA and to identify perceived benefits and concerns of a 12-month supply.
An online survey was administered to a Qualtrics panel of MA women who were using short-acting contraceptive methods and were insured by an eligible health plan. The survey's primary outcome was general awareness of the law; interest in, receipt of, and perceived benefits and risks of a 12-month supply were also elicited. Analysis included descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariable analyses examining factors associated with awareness of the law.
Among the 207 survey respondents, 76% were aware of the law, and 93% expressed interest in receiving a 12-month supply of a short-acting method; however, only 9% received it. Respondents identified as White (66%), privately insured (59%), and pill users (44%). Concerns about a 12-month supply included privacy, product expiration, and change in personal medical status. Perceived benefits included avoiding multiple trips to pharmacy and increased compliance. Multivariable analyses showed general awareness of the law was only associated with employer-based insurance, with those respondents having 75% lower odds of being aware of the law than respondents with Medicaid coverage.
Although a high percentage of women surveyed were aware of the law and most were interested in receiving a 12-month supply of their short-acting method, the low percentage who have received a 12-month supply suggests barriers to policy uptake.
This study describes perceptions of the 12-month supply provision of the contraception Act Advancing Contraceptive Coverage and Economic Security in our State law. Addressing consumer concerns may be important to improve the implementation and dissemination of this state policy change.
本研究旨在描述马萨诸塞州（MA）一项 2017 年法律的认知情况，该法律确保了短效避孕方法（如避孕药、避孕贴和阴道环）的 12 个月供应，以了解短效避孕方法使用者对 12 个月供应的认知益处和顾虑。
一项在线调查通过 Qualtrics 面板在 MA 中使用短效避孕方法且由合格健康计划承保的女性中进行。该调查的主要结果是对该法律的普遍认知；对 12 个月供应的兴趣、接受情况以及认知益处和风险也进行了调查。分析包括描述性统计以及与法律认知相关因素的单变量和多变量分析。
在 207 名调查受访者中，76%的人知道该法律，93%的人表示有兴趣获得 12 个月的短效方法供应，但只有 9%的人收到了供应。受访者自认为是白人（66%）、私人保险（59%）和避孕药使用者（44%）。对 12 个月供应的顾虑包括隐私、产品过期和个人医疗状况变化。认知益处包括避免多次去药房和提高依从性。多变量分析表明，对法律的普遍认知仅与雇主保险相关，与有医疗补助的受访者相比，有雇主保险的受访者对该法律的认知几率低 75%。
尽管调查中的大多数女性都知道该法律，并且大多数都有兴趣获得 12 个月的短效方法供应，但只有少数人接受了 12 个月的供应，这表明政策实施存在障碍。
本研究描述了对《避孕法》中 12 个月供应条款的看法，该条款推进了我们州的避孕覆盖和经济安全。解决消费者的担忧可能对改善该州政策变更的实施和传播很重要。
