Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/222995

Title

Disturbingly low levels of contraception among women living with hepatitis C

Author(s)

Banwell, Cathy;  Bammer, Gabriele;  Main, Nikki;  Gifford, Sandra M.;  O'Brien, Mary

Abstract

Objective: To describe the prevalence of contraception among a sample of women with hepatitis C (HCV), compare it with contraceptive use among Australian women generally, and look for associations between contraception and sample characteristics. Method: Women who self-identified as living with HCV were recruited through a wide range of non-clinical and clinical sites in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Victoria to complete a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Seventy-five per cent of distributed questionnaires were completed and returned. Of the 462 women surveyed, 34% of those aged 18-49 reported using contraceptives; a much lower prevalence than the 67% in the Australian population. Surprisingly, women who reported concerns about transmission to children were no more likely to use contraceptives. Not surprisingly, women who were lesbian or who did not have a current partner were even less likely to use contraceptives. Both employed women and those not on benefits reported significantly higher levels of contraception. Otherwise, contraception did not vary with a range of variables including age, education, injecting drug use status, self-rated health status, experience of HCV symptoms, time since diagnosis, ever having received HCV treatment, or venue at which the participants were recruited. Conclusions: The low prevalence of contraception among women with HCV is both disturbing and puzzling. Implications: These findings raise several important and hitherto unconsidered issues for the sexual and reproductive health and well-being of women with HCV. These require both further research and urgent attention by service providers.

Publication type

Journal article

Source

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, Vol. 27, no. 6 (Dec 2003), pp. 620-626

Publication year

2003

FOR Code(s)

1117 Public Health and Health Services;  1402 Applied Economics;  1605 Policy and Administration

Keyword(s)

Adolescent;  Australia;  Chi-square distribution;  Comparative study;  Contraception;  Demography;  Drug use;  Education;  Employment;  Health status;  Health surveys;  Hepatitis C;  Hepatitis C virus;  Lesbian;  Logistic models;  Major clinical study;  Pregnancy;  Pregnancy complications infectious;  Prevalence;  Questionnaires;  Reproductive health;  Self report;  Sexual partners;  Social support;  Socioeconomic factors;  Substance-related disorders;  Vertical transmission;  Virus transmission

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

ISSN

1326-0200

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2003.tb00609.x

Copyright

Copyright © 2003.

Peer reviewed