Debunking myths about contraceptive safety among women in Kingston, Jamaica: Pilot randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To create a short motion graphic video to debias women, using evidence from cognitive psychology, of 2 common myths about safety of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants in Jamaica; and (2) to conduct a pilot study to evaluate video effectiveness. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a series of 3 focus group discussions among target users to inform the development process of the script, story, character, and look of the intervention video. We randomized young, female nonusers of long-acting contraception at risk of pregnancy at a public clinic in Kingston in 2018-2019 to watch either the intervention (n = 113) or control video (n = 112). We used logistical regression to evaluate perceptions of method safety, naturalness, and uptake after 3 months of follow up. RESULTS: Almost all (n = 220; 97.8%) participants completed the 3-month interview. More women in the intervention arm perceived IUDs to be safe (59.1%) compared to the control arm (43.6%; p = 0.02). Perceived implant safety increased from enrollment to follow up in the intervention and control arms (10.9 and 2.7 percentage-point increases, respectively); however, the difference between arms at follow up was not statistically significant (p = 0.57). This appeared to be due to arm imbalances at enrollment. Study arms did not differ at follow up in perceived IUD naturalness (p = 0.36) or implant naturalness (p = 0.68). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from a pilot study of a video intervention suggest that using debiasing strategies from cognitive psychology has the potential to address misconceptions about contraceptive safety. A larger trial with adequate power is warranted. IMPLICATIONS: Evidence from a pilot randomized controlled trial suggested that use of debiasing strategies from cognitive psychology could be effective in correcting women's misconceptions about contraception safety and thus show promise for the design of future contraceptive promotion videos to increase uptake.

Contraceptive knowledge among women at risk of unintended pregnancy in Kingston, Jamaica.

Low contraceptive knowledge may limit contraception initiation or continuation and, consequently, could represent an important, modifiable cause of unintended pregnancy. The objective of this analysis was to identify correlates of knowledge among women at risk of unintended pregnancy. We analyzed data from a study of 222 young women attending a public clinic in Kingston in November 2018 to March 2019. We measured contraceptive knowledge with seven questions on method reversibility, ability to use covertly, contraindications, and side effects. We used multivariable linear regression to evaluate the correlates of summary knowledge scores and report beta coefficients, which represent differences in mean summary knowledge scores. The mean knowledge score was low (2.7; range = 0-7). Only 30.2% of the participants correctly identified intrauterine devices as more effective than oral contraception, male condoms, and withdrawal. Women who reported that their provider discussed contraception scored higher (adjusted ß = 0.37, p = 0.05) than those not reporting this. Women who perceived implants as very/mostly safe scored higher (adjusted ß = 0.45, p = 0.01) than those perceiving the device as mostly/very unsafe. Finally, compared to contraception non-users, women using less-effective contraception had a lower score (adjusted ß = -0.40, p = 0.04) while those using effective contraception did not differ in scores (ß = -0.30, p = 0.18). Overall, we found poor contraceptive knowledge among young women in Kingston. Providers appeared to hold an important role in women's understanding of contraception.

Sexual Relationship Power and Semen Exposure Among Female Patients at a Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic in Kingston, Jamaica.

Women's power in sexual relationships is thought to be an important predictor of condom use. However, research on correlates of condom use often relies on participant reporting of behavior, which has questionable validity. We evaluated the association between scores from the modified Sexual Relationship Power Scale (SRPS-M) and biological detection of semen exposure in a prospective study of adult women attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Kingston, Jamaica with cervicitis or abnormal vaginal discharge in 2010-2011. At enrollment, women were counseled to avoid sex while on treatment and were asked to return in 6 days for a follow-up visit. At both study visits, women were administered a questionnaire and had vaginal swabs collected to test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a biological marker of recent semen exposure. We found no significant association at enrollment or follow-up between SRPS-M scores and semen exposure, as measured with either self-reported data or PSA positivity. Semen biomarkers could be used to develop and validate new scales on relationship power and self-efficacy related to condom use.

Effects of initiating a contraceptive implant on subsequent condom use: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether initiation of a contraceptive implant, a method of long-acting reversible contraception, reduces condom use, as measured by a biomarker of recent semen exposure [prostate-specific antigen (PSA)]. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial in which 414 Jamaican women at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) attending family planning clinics received the contraceptive implant at baseline ("immediate" insertion arm, N=208) or at the end ("delayed" insertion arm, N=206) of a 3-month study period. Participants were tested for PSA at baseline and two follow-up study visits and were asked about their sexual activity and condom use. RESULTS: At baseline, 24.9% of women tested positive for PSA. At both follow-up visits, the prevalence of PSA detection did not significantly differ between the immediate versus delayed insertion arm [1-month: 26.1% vs. 20.2%, prevalence ratio (PR)=1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.9-1.9; 3-month: 25.6% vs. 23.1%, PR= 1.1, 95% CI=0.8-1.6]. The change in PSA positivity over the three study visits was not significantly larger in the immediate arm compared to the delayed arm (1-sided p-value of .15). CONCLUSIONS: Contraceptive implants can be successfully introduced into a population at high risk of unintended pregnancy and STIs without a biologically detectable difference in unprotected sex in the short term. This information strengthens the evidence to support promotion of implants in such populations and can help refine counseling for promoting and maintaining use of condoms among women who choose to use implants. IMPLICATIONS: Sex unprotected by a condom was not higher over 3 months in women receiving a contraceptive implant, compared with those not receiving the implant.

Differences in misreporting of sexual behavior over time: implications for HIV trials.

We used data from a prospective study of 300 women attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Kingston, Jamaica, to compare participant self-report of recent semen exposure to actual semen exposure measured by prostate-specific antigen in vaginal swabs. Underreporting of semen exposure was significantly more frequent at follow-up than baseline, suggesting that the accuracy of reports of sexual behavior may vary over time.

Randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of counseling messages for avoiding unprotected sexual intercourse during sexually transmitted infection and reproductive tract infection treatment among female sexually transmitted infection clinic patients.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of counseling messages to avoid unprotected sex during short-term treatment for curable sexually transmitted infections is unknown. METHODS: We randomized 300 female STI clinic patients 18 years or older with cervicitis and/or vaginal discharge in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2010 to 2011, to 1 of 2 counseling messages for their course of syndromic treatment: abstinence only or abstinence backed up by condom use. At a follow-up visit 6 days afterward, we collected vaginal swabs to test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a biological marker of recent semen exposure, and administered a questionnaire assessing sexual behavior. RESULTS: No differences were found in the proportions of women testing positive for PSA at follow-up in the abstinence-plus-condom group (11.9%) and abstinence-only group (8.4%) (risk difference, 3.5; 95% confidence interval, -3.5 to 10.5). There also was no significant difference in reporting of unprotected sex between groups. Reporting a history of condom use before enrollment significantly modified the effect of counseling arm on PSA positivity (P = 0.03). Among those reporting recent condom use, 10.3% in the abstinence-only arm and 4.8% in the abstinence-plus-condom arm tested positive for PSA. Conversely, among those not reporting recent condom use, 6.5% in the abstinence-only arm and 17.3% in the abstinence-plus-condom arm had PSA detected. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence to support the superiority of either counseling message. Post hoc analyses suggest that women with recent condom experience may benefit significantly more from abstinence-plus-condom messages, whereas women without such experience may benefit significantly more from abstinence-only messages. Providers should weigh individual condom use history when determining the most appropriate counseling message.