COVID-19 and Sexual and Reproductive Health Care: Findings From Primary Care Providers Who Serve Adolescents

Abstract

Among U.S. primary care physicians who delivered sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to adolescents before the COVID-19 pandemic, we examine (1) changes in availability of in-person SRH services; (2) changes in accessibility and utilization of SRH services; and (3) use of strategies to support provision of SRH services during the pandemic. Methods: Data were from the DocStyles provider survey administered SeptembereOctober 2020. Descriptive analyses were restricted to family practitioners, internists, and pediatricians whose main work setting was outpatient and whose practice provided family planning or sexually transmitted infection services to one patient aged 15e19 years per week just before the COVID-19 pandemic (n ¼ 791). Results: Among physicians whose practices provided intrauterine device/implant placement/removal or clinic-based sexually transmitted infection testing before the COVID-19 pandemic, 51% and 36% indicated disruption of these services during the pandemic, respectively. Some physicians also reported reductions in walk-in hours (38%), evening/weekend hours (31%), and adolescents seeking care (43%) in the past month. At any point during the pandemic, 61% provided contraception initiation/ continuation and 44% provided sexually transmitted infection services via telehealth. Among these physicians, about one-quarter reported confidentiality concerns with telehealth in the past month. There were small increases or no changes in other strategies to support contraceptive care. Conclusions: Findings suggest disruption of certain SRH services and issues with access because of the pandemic among primary care providers who serve adolescents. There are opportunities to enhance implementation of confidential telehealth services and other service delivery strategies that could help promote adolescent SRH in the United States.

Telehealth for sexual and reproductive health issues: a qualitative study of experiences of accessing care during COVID-19

“…In the US, one-quarter of physicians surveyed who provided telehealth for SRH issues reported confidentiality concerns. 15 Others have also identified privacy as a key issue when utilising telehealth, particularly for adolescents. 13 Our third and final theme revealed that connection and communication with clinicians (on both a technical and interpersonal level) was important to respondents.…”

Interrupted Access to and Use of Family Planning Among Youth in a Community‐Based Service in Zimbabwe During the First Year of the COVID‐19 Pandemic

“… 2022 ; Steiner et al. 2021 ). Some studies, such as ours, found that access to contraception became difficult during lockdowns (Balachandren et al.…”

“… 2021 ; Steiner et al. 2021 ). Two of these studies have shown findings that support our findings (Both, Castle, and Hensen 2021 ; Lewis et al.…”

Comparison of Pregnancy Preferences Preceding vs Year 1 of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Research has documented substantial constraints in accessing contraceptive and abortion care early in the pandemic, 4 , 5 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 followed by implementation of novel approaches to expand access to care via telehealth, mail order, and pharmacies. 33 , 34 Given that social and economic disruptive events can cause population-level increases in people’s desire to prevent or postpone pregnancy, continued implementation and evaluation of these expanded care models will be important to attain reproductive autonomy during future disruptions.…”