INTRODUCTION:
Contraceptive counseling, especially regarding long acting reversible contraception (LARC), is generally directed at women. However, male partners and peers may influence contraceptive decision making. As there are no published studies examining male perceptions of LARC in the United States, this study investigates male knowledge and attitudes of LARC.
METHODS:
An anonymous electronic cross sectional survey was administered from May to September 2018 to males age 18 to 24 years old. Participants were recruited via university email listservs and in-person at a campus student organization fair. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS.
RESULTS:
Participants (n=97) are predominantly heterosexual (83.5%) men. Of those who are sexually active (63.9%), 98.4% report female partners and trying to avoid pregnancy. The most commonly used methods of contraception are oral contraceptive pills (48.4%) and condoms (80.6%). The majority (76.3%) of participants have not heard of LARC. Prior LARC use is associated with knowledge of LARC (X2(1,97)=4.26, P<.05); however, this association is not seen with use of other contraceptive methods. Despite large confidence intervals (CI), the magnitude of association suggests prior sex is predictive of knowledge of LARC (OR 1.19 95% CI 0.45-3.11). Participants familiar with LARC are generally neutral to very supportive of LARC (87.0%). Additionally, 80.4% of participants are neutral to very interested in learning more about LARC.
CONCLUSION:
Males age 18 to 24 have limited knowledge of LARC, with an interest in learning more about LARC. This information can be used to shape interventions to bridge knowledge gaps, ultimately helping women make supported contraceptive choices.
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