Disrupted prevention: Condom and contraception access and use among young adults during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey
Disrupted prevention: Condom and contraception access and use among young adults during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey
Background The initial response to COVID-19 in the UK involved a rapid contraction of face-to-face sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and widespread use of remote workarounds. This study sought to illuminate young people's experiences of accessing and using condoms and contraception in the early months of the pandemic. Methods We analysed data, including open-text responses, from an online survey conducted in June-July 2020 with a convenience sample of 2005 16-24-year-olds living in Scotland. Results Among those who used condoms and contraception, one quarter reported that COVID-19 mitigation measures had made a difference to their access or use. Open-text responses revealed a landscape of disrupted prevention, including changes to sexual risk-taking and preventive practices, unwanted contraceptive pathways, unmet need for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, and switches from freely provided to commercially sold condoms and contraception. Pandemic-related barriers to accessing free condoms and contraception included: (1) uncertainty about the legitimacy of accessing SRH care and self-censorship of need; (2) confusion about differences between SRH care and advice received from healthcare professionals during the pandemic compared with routine practice; and (3) exacerbation of existing access barriers, alongside reduced social support and resources to navigate SRH care. Conclusions Emerging barriers to STI and pregnancy prevention within the context of COVID-19 have the potential to undermine positive SRH practices, and widen inequalities, among young people. As SRH services are restored amid evolving pandemic restrictions, messaging to support navigation of condom and contraception services should be co-created with young people.
COVID-19, contraception behavior, health services accessibility, reproductive health, sexual health, sexually transmitted diseases
269-276
Lewis, Ruth
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Blake, Carolyn
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Shimonovich, Michal
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Coia, Nicky
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Duffy, Johann
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Kerr, Yvonne
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Wilson, Jill
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Graham, Cynthia
ac400331-f231-4449-a69b-ec9a477224c8
Mitchell, Kirstin
70daf00b-396d-4d5f-b099-538d63c5498e
1 October 2021
Lewis, Ruth
eaa99161-cdf3-4796-9ec8-8a41f0072788
Blake, Carolyn
d293f801-d8ca-4ae8-859d-d87edf2f0c87
Shimonovich, Michal
3bc3102c-9fa3-4a6f-964d-6be9254ed886
Coia, Nicky
546c3ed0-cb8d-4ae6-b444-a623d18935ee
Duffy, Johann
5715e18c-7ca4-4208-9499-1f87574730a5
Kerr, Yvonne
cc1fc0b7-c5c1-44e1-861d-dc4f6116ebc8
Wilson, Jill
3b3b00a4-873a-4c65-9c32-f39f84183a95
Graham, Cynthia
ac400331-f231-4449-a69b-ec9a477224c8
Mitchell, Kirstin
70daf00b-396d-4d5f-b099-538d63c5498e
Lewis, Ruth, Blake, Carolyn, Shimonovich, Michal, Coia, Nicky, Duffy, Johann, Kerr, Yvonne, Wilson, Jill, Graham, Cynthia and Mitchell, Kirstin
(2021)
Disrupted prevention: Condom and contraception access and use among young adults during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey.
BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, 47 (4), .
(doi:10.1136/bmjsrh-2020-200975).
Abstract
Background The initial response to COVID-19 in the UK involved a rapid contraction of face-to-face sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and widespread use of remote workarounds. This study sought to illuminate young people's experiences of accessing and using condoms and contraception in the early months of the pandemic. Methods We analysed data, including open-text responses, from an online survey conducted in June-July 2020 with a convenience sample of 2005 16-24-year-olds living in Scotland. Results Among those who used condoms and contraception, one quarter reported that COVID-19 mitigation measures had made a difference to their access or use. Open-text responses revealed a landscape of disrupted prevention, including changes to sexual risk-taking and preventive practices, unwanted contraceptive pathways, unmet need for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, and switches from freely provided to commercially sold condoms and contraception. Pandemic-related barriers to accessing free condoms and contraception included: (1) uncertainty about the legitimacy of accessing SRH care and self-censorship of need; (2) confusion about differences between SRH care and advice received from healthcare professionals during the pandemic compared with routine practice; and (3) exacerbation of existing access barriers, alongside reduced social support and resources to navigate SRH care. Conclusions Emerging barriers to STI and pregnancy prevention within the context of COVID-19 have the potential to undermine positive SRH practices, and widen inequalities, among young people. As SRH services are restored amid evolving pandemic restrictions, messaging to support navigation of condom and contraception services should be co-created with young people.
Text
Condom contraceptive access during Covid__FINAL_BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 15 February 2021
Published date: 1 October 2021
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
Contributors RL and CB co-led the design and conduct of the study, with contributions from KM, NC, JD, YK, JW and CG. RL, CB and KM conducted the qualitative analysis. MS conducted the statistical analysis. RL, CB and KM interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the manuscript. Funding CONUNDRUM was jointly funded by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Lothian, in partnership with the Scottish Government. RL, CB and KM are supported by the United Kingdom Medical Research Council (Grant codes MC_UU_12017/11 and MC_UU_00022/3) and the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (Grant code SPHSU11). MS is supported by the United Kingdom Medical Research Council (Grant codes MC_ST_U18004 and MC_ UU_00022/2).
Publisher Copyright:
©
Keywords:
COVID-19, contraception behavior, health services accessibility, reproductive health, sexual health, sexually transmitted diseases
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 447067
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/447067
ISSN: 2515-1991
PURE UUID: 4686855d-634f-4abc-8eed-81601c802442
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Date deposited: 02 Mar 2021 17:32
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 06:21
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Contributors
Author:
Ruth Lewis
Author:
Carolyn Blake
Author:
Michal Shimonovich
Author:
Nicky Coia
Author:
Johann Duffy
Author:
Yvonne Kerr
Author:
Jill Wilson
Author:
Kirstin Mitchell
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