Improving Birth Control Service Utilization by Offering Services Prerelease vs Postincarceration

• NCJ Number: 215673
• Journal: American Journal of Public Health Volume: 96 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2006 Pages: 840-845
• Author(s): Jennifer G. Clarke M.D.; Cynthia Rosengard Ph.D.; Jennifer S. Rose Ph.D.; Megan R.. Hebert M.A.; Jeffrey Peipert M.D.; Michael D. Stein M.D.
• Date Published: May 2006
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1 K23 HD01472-01A1; 1 FPR-PA002044-01
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Free online PDF and HTML access to the American Journal of Public Health is provided by the publisher 24 months after individual issues are released.

Annotation

This study tested the hypothesis that incarcerated women would substantially increase their use of birth control if contraceptive services were available before their release from prison compared to their availability after release.

Abstract

In phase one of the study (June 2002 to February 28, 2003) 77.5 percent of the 119 women participating in the study indicated they wanted to begin use of birth control methods. This included the provision of family planning services without charge, but no prescribing of contraceptives within the prison due to policy restrictions at that time. Within 4 weeks after their release, 4.4 percent of phase-one participants began using a contraceptive method. In phase two, which began on March 1, 2003, contraceptive services were permitted for women before their release from prison, in addition to family planning services offered to the women in phase one. Within 4 weeks after their release, 39.1 percent of the phase-two women (n=105) began use of a contraceptive method. The study concludes that the provision of contraceptive services to women during incarceration is feasible and significantly increases their use of birth control after their release compared to the provision of services only in the community. Women entering Rhode Island's Adult Correctional Institute (ACI) between June 2002 and December 2003 were recruited from both the sentenced population and those awaiting trial. To be eligible, women had to be between 18 to 35 years old, have no history of a tubal ligation or hysterectomy, have been sexually active with a man in the 3 months before incarceration, not be pregnant, and have no plans to conceive in the next 6 months. During phase one of the study, a nurse educator met with women at the ACI and offered them referrals for contraceptive services at a community health clinic after their release. Phase two provided a comparison sample because women received contraceptive services during their incarceration. 3 tables and 19 references