Ethnic differences in factors associated with the use of contraception among 20- to 44-year-old women in Estonia and St. Petersburg, Russia

• Published in: Contraception (Stoneham) Vol. 86; no. 2; pp. 132 - 140
• Main Authors: Laanpere, Made, Rahu, Kaja, Part, Kai, Dubikaytis, Tatiana, Karro, Helle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.08.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Abortion, Induced - psychology; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Contraception; Contraception Behavior - ethnology; Contraception nonuse; Cross-Sectional Studies; Estonia; Ethnic groups; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Language; Multivariate Analysis; Needs Assessment; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Parity; Pregnancy; Risk Factors; Russia; Safe Sex - ethnology; Socioeconomic Factors; Unreliable contraceptive methods; Young Adult; Estonia; Russia; Contraception; Unreliable contraceptive methods; Contraception nonuse; Ethnic groups; Russia; Estonia
• ISSN: 0010-7824; 1879-0518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2011.11.021

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with contraception among 20- to 44-year-old women in different ethnic groups in two Eastern European countries. Study Design Data on sexually experienced women in need of contraception taken from population-based cross-sectional surveys, conducted in Estonia ( n =1680) and in St. Petersburg ( n =798), were analyzed. Factors associated with contraception nonuse or the use of unreliable contraceptive methods were explored using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results The age-standardized prevalence rate of contraception nonuse or the use of unreliable contraceptive methods was high (27.3% among Estonian-speaking women in Estonia, 39.9% and 42.5% among Russian-speaking women in Estonia and in St. Petersburg, respectively). Age, economic subsistence, high-risk sexual behavior and smoking did not correlate with contraception nonuse or the use of unreliable contraceptive methods among Russian-speaking women in Estonia and in St. Petersburg; this was in contrast to Estonian-speaking women in Estonia. Previous childbirth and abortion reduced the risk of contraception nonuse or the use of unreliable contraceptive methods among Estonian-speaking women in Estonia (adjusted odds ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31−0.81) but elevated the risk among Russian-speaking women in St. Petersburg (1.99; 1.17−3.40). Abortion, not previous childbirth, was associated with an increased risk among Russian-speaking women in Estonia (2.94; 1.25−6.95). Conclusions The importance of different risk factors associated with contraceptive use varies between different ethnic groups. Cross-national comparisons are essential for the design of public health policies that decrease the burden of sexual ill health.