Women's experiences seeking publicly funded family planning services in Texas.
| Autor: | Hopkins K; Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin. khopkins@prc.utexas.edu., White K; Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, University of Alabama at Birmingham., Linkin F; Texas Policy Evaluation Project, University of Texas at Austin., Hubert C; Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin., Grossman D; Ibis Reproductive Health, Oakland., Potter JE; Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin. |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Zdroj: | Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health [Perspect Sex Reprod Health] 2015 Jun; Vol. 47 (2), pp. 63-70. Date of Electronic Publication: 2015 Jan 30. |
| DOI: | 10.1363/47e2815 |
| Abstrakt: | Context: Little is known about low-income women's and teenagers' experiences accessing publicly funded family planning services, particularly after policy changes are made that affect the cost of and access to such services. Methods: Eleven focus groups were conducted with 92 adult women and 15 teenagers in nine Texas metropolitan areas in July-October 2012, a year after legislation that reduced access to subsidized family planning was enacted. Participants were recruited through organizations that serve low-income populations. At least two researchers independently coded the transcripts of the discussions and identified main themes. Results: Although most women were not aware of the legislative changes, they reported that in the past year, they had had to pay more for previously free or low-cost services, use less effective contraceptive methods or forgo care. They also indicated that accessing affordable family planning services had long been difficult, that applying and qualifying for programs was a challenge and that obtaining family planning care was harder than obtaining pregnancy-related care. As a result of an inadequate reproductive health safety net, women experienced unplanned pregnancies and were unable to access screening services and follow-up care. Teenagers experienced an additional barrier, the need to obtain parental consent. Some women preferred to receive family planning services from specialized providers, while others preferred more comprehensive care. Conclusion: Women in Texas have long faced challenges in obtaining subsidized family planning services. Legislation that reduced access to family planning services for low-income women and teenagers appears to have added to those challenges. (Copyright © 2015 by the Guttmacher Institute.) |
| Databáze: | MEDLINE |
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