Contraceptive choice and decision‐making among college students in a Southeastern US state

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Choosing the right contraception can be a daunting process and it is important that people feel in control of their bodies during this decision‐making process. Materials and Methods This study investigates who college‐aged students talk to about their hormonal contraceptive choice and how that impacts their feeling of control during their decision‐making process. Results The study found participants spoke to a variety of sources about this decision, like their healthcare providers when they wanted a clinical point of view, their mothers when they wanted a more personal and caring point a view, their overall social networks when they wanted multiple point of views, and some participants ultimately felt the most control when just referring to themselves and their own feelings. Conclusions More research can be done on how specific beliefs among figures in college‐aged students' lives impact these contraceptive discussions, the choices they feel they can make, and how in control of themselves they feel.

Keywords

• college students
• contraception
• reproductive health