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Contraceptive use and consistency and the role of deferred action for childhood arrivals: A cross-sectional survey of undocumented young adults
•Undocumented immigrants have high rates of unprotected sex.•Documentation status affects undocumented sexual and reproductive healthcare use.•DACA may improve sexual and reproductive health for certain undocumented immigrants. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program grants young,...
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Published in: | Sexual & reproductive healthcare 2022-06, Vol.32, p.100725-100725, Article 100725 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | •Undocumented immigrants have high rates of unprotected sex.•Documentation status affects undocumented sexual and reproductive healthcare use.•DACA may improve sexual and reproductive health for certain undocumented immigrants.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program grants young, undocumented immigrants work authorization and protections from deportation, with about 1.3 million eligible for the program. This exploratory study examines the association between DACA status and contraceptive use among undocumented young adults.
We conducted an internet-based survey between June 2017 and August 2017 among Asian and Latinx undocumented immigrants (N = 204) aged 18–31 years in California. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to examine the associations between DACA status and contraceptive use and consistency.
Among undocumented participants who were sexually active, about 60% reported having unprotected sex (52% DACA vs. 63% non-DACA) and about 80% reported that documentation status affects how they access care for sexual/reproductive health at least a little. Overall, Asians were 81% less likely to have unprotected sex compared to Latinx individuals (aOR = 0.19, 95%CI: 0.06, 0.56). DACA recipients were more likely to report using contraception every time compared to non-recipients (42.9% vs. 30.5%, p = 0.04). DACA recipients were 63% less likely to report having unprotected sex in the past 12 months compared to those without DACA (aOR = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.14, 0.99). DACA recipients were more than three times as likely to use contraception during sex every time compared to those without DACA (aOR = 3.19, 95%CI: 1.19, 8.54).
This study demonstrates that undocumented young adults have low rates of contraceptive use; however, DACA is associated with improved reproductive health for certain undocumented immigrants.
State and federal policies that extend protections and promote immigrant integration are needed to fully achieve reproductive justice for all. |
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ISSN: | 1877-5756 1877-5764 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.srhc.2022.100725 |