Family Planning Perspectives
Volume 33, Number 1, January/February 2001



TABLES: Choice of Female-Controlled Barrier Methods Among Young Women and Their Male Sexual Partners



Table 1. Median age (and interquartile range) of study participants and percentage with selected characteristics at enrollment among participants in a barrier contraceptive acceptability study, by type of participant, Northern California, 1995-1998
Characteristic Women enrolled without a partner
(N=350)		 Women enrolled with a partner
(N=160)		 All male partners

(N=160)
Social and demographic
Median age (in yrs.) 20.1
(18.0-24.3)		 19.9
(18.3-24.0)		 21.8
(19.1-24.8)
% white 48.9 49.4 50.0
% black 6.3 3.8 5.6
% Hispanic 25.7 26.9 23.8
% Asian 11.7 11.9 7.5
% other/multiracial 7.1 7.5 11.9
% foreign-born 25.4 25.6 26.9
% received welfare in last year 10.6 11.3 8.1
% whose mother completed no more than high school 48.6 40.6 40.0
% whose father completed no more than high school 37.0 36.3 33.1
Partner communication and gender norms
% discussed contraception with partner 84.3** 98.1 94.3
% discussed sexual history with partner 78.5** 94.1 88.8
% distribution by who made decision about contraceptive use (in last 6 mos.)
Study participant decided 29.8 36.5 4.4
Partner decided 6.9 1.9 22.5
Both 63.3 61.6 73.1
% distribution by view of who is more likely to cheat in relationship
Men more likely 46.6 47.5 56.6
Women more likely 4.9 1.9 6.9
Both/neither 48.5 49.6 36.6
Sexual behavior/perceived STI risk
% first had vaginal sex at <=15 44.9 39.4 43.8
% ever used female condom 2.9 4.4 0.0
% ever used spermicides 33.1 38.1 0.0
% used male condom at last coitus 61.1 55.6 52.5
% used hormonal method at last coitus 28.0** 40.6 35.6
% used no method at last coitus 14.9 8.8 10.6
% had multiple partners in last 6 mos. 40.0** 28.8 23.1
% currently has main partner 77.4** 99.4 98.1
% feel unlikely to contract STI next yr. 54.9** 69.4 75.0
Reproductive health
% ever been pregnant/ever impregnated partner 34.6 33.8 34.4
% ever diagnosed with STI 21.1 16.9 13.8
% ever had abortion 21.4 20.6 na
% distribution by study site
Marin Family Planning Clinic 22.0 23.1 22.5
Planned Parenthood San Rafael 51.7 36.3 36.3
UC Berkeley Tang Health Center 26.3 40.6 41.3
**Difference between women enrolled with a partner and those enrolled without a partner significant at p<.01. Notes: na=not applicable. The interquartile range is a measure of dispersion showing the interval between the 25th quartile and the 75th quartile.

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Table 2. Percentage of study participants who chose a specific barrier method, and percentage distribution of participants by overall choice of method, according to type of participant
Method or choice Women enrolled without a partner
(N=350)		 Women enrolled with a partner
(N=160)		 All male partners


(N=160)
Any method
Female condom 56.9 65.6 50.6
Male condom 65.7 60.6 60.0
Spermicides
Film 42.9 41.3 25.6
Suppositories 24.9 23.1 18.1
Foam 37.1 40.0 30.0
Gel 29.7 27.5 21.3
% distribution by choice
Female-controlled alone 22.3 25.0 18.1
Female condom only 4.0 6.3 7.5
Spermicides only 7.1 6.3 4.4
Female condoms & spermicides 11.1 12.5 6.3
Male condom and female-controlled methods 56.9 53.8 46.3
Male condoms only 8.9 6.9 13.8
None 12.0 14.4 21.9
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0

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Table 3. Odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) from multiple logistic regression analysis of choice of female-controlled barrier methods alone among women enrolled without a partner (N=297)
Factor Odds ratio
<18 years old
Has discussed contraception with current main partner 1.8
(0.9, 3.6)
Has not discussed contraception with current main partner 7.5*
(1.1, 50.3)
Has discussed contraception with current main partner and is >=18 1.0
(0.4, 2.5)
Race/ethnicity†
Asian 1.1
(0.3, 3.3)
Hispanic 2.4
(1.0, 5.8)
White 2.6*
(1.1, 6.2)
Had multiple partners in last 6 mos. 0.7*
(0.6, 1.0)
Used male condom at last sex 0.5*
(0.2, 0.9)
Currently using hormonal method 2.1*
(1.1, 4.0)
*p<.05. †Reference group consists of black and multiracial individuals. Note: In this and the following table, female-controlled barrier methods are female condoms and spermicides.

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Table 4. Odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) from multiple logistic regression analysis of choice of female-controlled barrier methods among women (N=137) and men (N=123) enrolled as couples
Factor Women Men
<18 years old 6.0** (1.9, 19.1) 2.3 (0.8, 6.9)
Ever had STI 1.5 (0.5, 5.0) 1.0 (0.3, 3.9)
Had multiple partners in last 6 mos. 1.1 (0.6, 1.8) 1.0 (0.6, 1.5)
Used male condom at last sex 0.5 (0.1, 1.4) 0.5 (0.2, 1.6)
Currently using hormonal method 6.3** (2.1, 19.0) 2.3 (0.8, 7.0)
**p<.01. Notes: Logistic models were constructed independently for females and for males. Two men were dropped from the analysis because of missing values.

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© copyright 2001, The Alan Guttmacher Institute.