An intersectional analysis of contraceptive types chosen among sexual minority women: A nationally representative study

• Published in: Contraception (Stoneham) 2022-06, Vol.110, p.42-47
• Main Authors: Kumnick, Allison, Hanfling, Sarina N., Dowlut-McElroy, Tazim, Maher, Jacqueline Y., Gomez-Lobo, Veronica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bisexual; Contraception; Contraceptive Agents; Cross-Sectional Studies; Ethnicity; Female; Health disparity; Homosexuality, Female; Humans; Lesbian; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Sexual Behavior; Sexual minority women
• ISSN: 0010-7824; 1879-0518; 1879-0518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2022.01.009

The purpose of this study is to use an intersectional approach in which race, insurance, care setting, and disclosure of sexual orientation to a provider are used to assess patterns of contraceptive use in sexual minority women. This study analyzes cross-sectional data from the 2011–2019 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). Sexual orientation of 21,075 respondents’ data was used to investigate contraceptive use in sexual minority women, specifically lesbian and bisexual women, as compared to heterosexual women, controlling for variables such as race, age, and socioeconomic factors. Black and Hispanic lesbian women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.39 confidence interval [CI] 0.20–0.76 and aOR = 0.44 CI 0.23–0.82, respectively) and Hispanic and Other Race bisexual women use hormonal contraceptive methods less than their White lesbian and bisexual peers (aOR = 0.45 CI 0.29–0.69 and aOR = 0.43 CI 0.20–0.94). Care setting was not correlated with long-acting reversible contraceptive methods (LARC; such as intra-uterine device, hormonal implants) or prescription-based hormonal methods (such as oral contraceptive pills, injectables, vaginal rings, and patches) in lesbian women (aOR = 2.92 CI 0.60–14.2 and aOR = 1.43 CI 0.47–4.38, respectively) or bisexual women (aOR = 0.90 CI 0.48–1.58 and aOR = 0.83 CI 0.37–1.86), but it was for straight women (aOR = 1.28 CI 1.03–1.59 and aOR = 0.68 CI 0.53–0.86). Similarly, insurance status did not correlate with contraceptive patterns in sexual minority women. Importantly, adjusting for nationally representative data did not impact the results; in other words, the odds ratios after adjusting yielded the same results as before adjustment. Insurance and care setting are important determinants of straight women's contraceptive use patterns with fewer effects seen among sexual minority women. These findings support previous work and indicate that known advantages of insurance coverage or use of public clinics may not positively impact sexual minority women as much as they do straight women. Provider awareness of sexual identity and sexual orientation is important for adequate contraceptive care. While prior research has presented findings on sexual minority women contraceptive use, to our knowledge there are limited studies that address the social and demographic implications for contraceptive use in this population.