Saints or Sinners? Psychosocial Characteristics of Adolescent Emergency Contraception Users

Abstract

Abstract Author: Ingrid Grov Mannsverk Supervisors: Ingela Lundin Kvalem and Wendy Nilsen Title: Saints or Sinners? Psychosocial Characteristics of Adolescent Emergency Contraception Users Background: Adolescent use of emergency contraception has received relatively little attention compared to other contraceptives (e.g. condoms or oral contraceptives), in spite of increasing sales rates and decreasing adolescent abortion rates. Of the limited studies available, few have examined and compared characteristics of adolescent emergency and regular contraception users, and studied associations with both individual and family factors. The current study aimed to examine adolescent emergency and regular (i.e. oral contraceptives, condoms) contraceptive use and associations with individual sexual history and risk behavior (externalizing behavior, alcohol use), and family factors (social background and parent-adolescent relationship). Method: Data were taken from the prospective community-based study Tracking Opportunities and Problems in Childhood and Adolescence (the TOPP study). The sample comprised Norwegian late adolescent females (age 18-19) (N=214) and their maternal reports of socio-demographic characteristics. Sexual history was measured with questions on debut age, number of partners, sexually transmitted infections, etc. Externalizing behavior was measured with Topp Scale of Anti-Social Behaviour (TSAB) and alcohol use with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Parent-adolescent relationship was measured with the Warmth/Involvement subscale of Lamborn Parenting Scale. Social background was measured with maternal reports of family economy, relationship status, education and work-life participation, in addition to self-reports on living arrangements and educational attainments. Cross-sectional associations were examined using bivariate tests and logistic regression models, and exploratory analyses were conducted. Results: Adolescent regular and emergency contraception use was higher than in previous studies and emergency contraception users were found to be a heterogenous group. Regular and emergency contraception users differed in some aspects and were similar in some. Outlines of two contraceptive patterns possibly at-risk and one pattern practicing safe-sex, were revealed. Conclusion: The current study has important scientific implications, suggesting that future research should examine the three identified patterns in longitudinal studies to identify remaining barriers of safe sex for female adolescents.

Abstract Author: Ingrid Grov Mannsverk Supervisors: Ingela Lundin Kvalem and Wendy Nilsen Title: Saints or Sinners? Psychosocial Characteristics of Adolescent Emergency Contraception Users Background: Adolescent use of emergency contraception has received relatively little attention compared to other contraceptives (e.g. condoms or oral contraceptives), in spite of increasing sales rates and decreasing adolescent abortion rates. Of the limited studies available, few have examined and compared characteristics of adolescent emergency and regular contraception users, and studied associations with both individual and family factors. The current study aimed to examine adolescent emergency and regular (i.e. oral contraceptives, condoms) contraceptive use and associations with individual sexual history and risk behavior (externalizing behavior, alcohol use), and family factors (social background and parent-adolescent relationship). Method: Data were taken from the prospective community-based study Tracking Opportunities and Problems in Childhood and Adolescence (the TOPP study). The sample comprised Norwegian late adolescent females (age 18-19) (N=214) and their maternal reports of socio-demographic characteristics. Sexual history was measured with questions on debut age, number of partners, sexually transmitted infections, etc. Externalizing behavior was measured with Topp Scale of Anti-Social Behaviour (TSAB) and alcohol use with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Parent-adolescent relationship was measured with the Warmth/Involvement subscale of Lamborn Parenting Scale. Social background was measured with maternal reports of family economy, relationship status, education and work-life participation, in addition to self-reports on living arrangements and educational attainments. Cross-sectional associations were examined using bivariate tests and logistic regression models, and exploratory analyses were conducted. Results: Adolescent regular and emergency contraception use was higher than in previous studies and emergency contraception users were found to be a heterogenous group. Regular and emergency contraception users differed in some aspects and were similar in some. Outlines of two contraceptive patterns possibly at-risk and one pattern practicing safe-sex, were revealed. Conclusion: The current study has important scientific implications, suggesting that future research should examine the three identified patterns in longitudinal studies to identify remaining barriers of safe sex for female adolescents.