Using the Healthcare Visit to Improve Contraceptive Use

August 30, 2005 updated by: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Consistent and correct use of an effective contraceptive method is a primary determinant in preventing pregnancy. Unfortunately, only a minority of healthcare providers adequately address women's contraceptive needs. We have developed a standardized behavioral-based contraceptive counseling model that can be used by providers and other clinic staff to address this limitation. The model, ESP, is an adaptation of motivational interviewing and involves: Exploring discrepancies between pregnancy intention and contraceptive use and between risk of STDs and condom use; Sharing information; and Promoting behaviors to reduce risk.

Study question: Does ESP counseling lead to an increase in consistency and effectiveness of contraceptive use among women at risk of unintended pregnancy?

Methods: Randomized controlled trial of 747 women, ages 16-44, at self-identified risk of unintended pregnancy enrolled from March 2003 to September 2004 at healthcare settings in North Carolina. Intervention participants received individualized ESP counseling from a health educator to address barriers to effective and consistent contraceptive use. Risk reduction steps were negotiated. Pregnancy, Chlamydia infection and contraceptive use were assessed at baseline and follow-up. "Highly effective" contraceptive use was defined as a combination of effectiveness and consistency. Women in the control arm received general preventive health counseling (e.g., smoking and exercise). Differences between the study arms at 12-months may illustrate the longer term influence of the intervention.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Consistent and correct use of an effective contraceptive method is a primary determinant in preventing pregnancy. Unfortunately, only a minority of healthcare providers adequately address women's contraceptive needs. We have developed a standardized behavioral-based contraceptive counseling model that can be used by providers and other clinic staff to address this limitation. The model, ESP, is an adaptation of motivational interviewing and involves: Exploring discrepancies between pregnancy intention and contraceptive use and between risk of STDs and condom use; Sharing information; and Promoting behaviors to reduce risk.

Study question: Does ESP counseling lead to an increase in consistency and effectiveness of contraceptive use among women at risk of unintended pregnancy?

Methods: Randomized controlled trial of 747 women, ages 16-44, at self-identified risk of unintended pregnancy enrolled from March 2003 to September 2004 at healthcare settings in North Carolina. Intervention participants received individualized ESP counseling from a health educator to address barriers to effective and consistent contraceptive use. Risk reduction steps were negotiated. Pregnancy, Chlamydia infection and contraceptive use were assessed at baseline and follow-up. "Highly effective" contraceptive use was defined as a combination of effectiveness and consistency. Women in the control arm received general preventive health counseling (e.g., smoking and exercise). Differences between the study arms at 12-months may illustrate the longer term influence of the intervention.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

747

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • North Carolina
      • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599-7521
        • Center for Women's Health Research, Universoty of North Carolina

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years to 44 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women aged 16-44
  • English-speaking
  • Do not wish to be pregnant or unsure of pregnancy intention
  • Have an appointment for non-acute care
  • Currently using no method of contraception, inconsistent use of methods, pills, condoms, diaphragms, periodic abstinence, or methods associated with higher pregnancy rates
  • Ability to read at least at 8th grade level
  • Willing to participate in follow-up visits at 2, 8, and 12 months
  • Able to be contacted by telephone

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women less than 16 or greater than 44 years
  • Women who are sterilized, or whose partners are sterilized or who use the IUD for contraception
  • Appointments for acute care
  • Non-English speaking
  • Inability to read at or above 8th grade level
  • Pregnant at time of enrollment
  • Lack of ability for telephone contact

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Educational/Counseling/Training
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Pregnancy
Contraceptive use
Chlamydia infection

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Collaborators

University of North Carolina

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ruth Petersen, MD, MPH, University of North Carolina

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

March 1, 2003

Study Completion

September 1, 2005

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 30, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 30, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

September 1, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

September 1, 2005

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 30, 2005

Last Verified

August 1, 2005

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • CDC-NCCDPHP-TS-0768

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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