Improving Effective Contraceptive Use Among Opioid-maintained Women
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Nearly 9 of every 10 pregnant opioid-dependent women report that the current pregnancy was unintended and the majority of non-pregnant opioid-maintained women do not use contraception or use less effective methods like condoms. This proposal aims to develop and test a novel contraceptive management program to increase use of more effective contraceptives among opioid-maintained women and to examine the impact of more effective contraceptive use on condom use. The proposed research may reduce unintended pregnancy among opioid-dependent women without increasing their risk of sexually transmitted infections and the knowledge gained will also have implications for addressing high rates of unintended pregnancy in the general population.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Phase 1 |
Detailed Description
The rate of unintended pregnancy among opioid-dependent women is extremely high: nearly 9 of every 10 pregnant opioid-dependent women report that the current pregnancy was unintended, a rate 2-3 times that of the general population. Despite these dire statistics, there is a dearth of scientific knowledge about contraceptive use in this population and about how to promote use of more effective contraceptives (e.g., birth control pills, IUDs, implants).
The aim of this Stage I Behavioral and Integrative Treatment Development Program application is to develop and pilot test a novel contraceptive management program to increase use of more effective contraceptives among OM women. OM women (N=100) at risk for unintended pregnancy will be randomly assigned to a 6-month contraceptive management program or to usual care. The contraceptive management program will consist of two components: (1) the World Health Organization's contraception protocol and (2) reinforced follow-up visits. At their first visit, participants assigned to the contraceptive management program will complete the WHO's contraception protocol, which consists of assistance choosing a contraceptive method, structured educational counseling about their chosen method, a free supply of this method, and the option of initiating this method immediately. Subsequently, contraceptive management program participants will earn voucher-based incentives to reinforce attendance at follow-up visits where they will receive support to manage side effects and problem-solve compliance problems, refills of their chosen method, and assistance switching methods when indicated. At each visit, contraceptive management program participants will also be counseled about the risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, the need for dual protection (i.e., protection from both pregnancy and STIs), and provided with a supply of condoms. Participants assigned to the usual care condition will be given general information about contraceptive options and contact information for clinics and providers that provide contraceptive services. Contraceptive use by all participants will be evaluated at assessments scheduled 1, 3, and 6 months after trial intake. The impact of prescription contraceptive use on condom use will also be assessed. It is hypothesized that the contraceptive management program will increase effective contraceptive use without decreasing condom use.
The proposed project will be the seminal study of an intervention to increase more effective contraceptive use in OM women and the first step towards our overarching goal of developing an efficacious, empirically based contraceptive management program that can be disseminated to drug treatment facilities throughout the country. The proposed research also holds significant potential for impacting public health in general, as development of efficacious programs will help reduce the vast economic and societal costs associated with unintended pregnancy among drug-dependent and non-drug-dependent women alike.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Contraceptive management program
|
Behavioral: Contraceptive management program
The contraceptive management program will consist of two components: (1) the World Health Organization's contraception protocol and (2) reinforced follow-up visits.
|
| Active Comparator: Usual care The usual care condition will be given general information about contraceptive options and contact information for clinics and providers that provide contraceptive services. |
Other: Usual care
The usual care condition will be given general information about contraceptive options and contact information for clinics and providers that provide contraceptive services.
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Point prevalence use of a prescription contraceptive [6 months after randomization]
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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18-44 years of age
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pre-menopausal and have no history of a tubal ligation or hysterectomy
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have had heterosexual vaginal sex in the past 12 months
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have no plans to become pregnant in the next 6 months
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be medically eligible to use prescription contraceptives
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report no prescription contraceptive method use (i.e., no use of pills, patch, ring in the past 7 days or depot injections, implants, or IUD in the past 3 months) OR report primary use of a non-prescription method (i.e., condoms, sponge, diaphragm, withdrawal, or rhythm method)
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have been in opioid maintenance treatment for at least the past 30 days
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be English-speaking.
Exclusion Criteria:
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failure to meet the aforementioned inclusion criteria
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refusal to participate
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Vermont Substance Abuse Treatment Center | Burlington | Vermont | United States | 05401 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of Vermont
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Sarah H. Heil, Ph.D., University of Vermont
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
- Hand DJ, Heil SH, Sigmon SC, Higgins ST. Improving medicaid health incentives programs: lessons from substance abuse treatment research. Prev Med. 2014 Jun;63:87-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.03.001. Epub 2014 Mar 12.
- Heil SH, Gaalema DE, Johnston AM, Sigmon SC, Badger GJ, Higgins ST. Infant pupillary response to methadone administration during treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome: a feasibility study. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2012 Nov 1;126(1-2):268-71. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.05.006. Epub 2012 Jun 8.
- Heil SH, Higgins ST. The scientific and ethical rationale for using incentives to promote contraceptive use among drug-abusing women. Addiction. 2012 Jun;107(6):1044-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03798.x.
- Herrmann ES, Hand DJ, Johnson MW, Badger GJ, Heil SH. Examining delay discounting of condom-protected sex among opioid-dependent women and non-drug-using control women. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014 Nov 1;144:53-60. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.07.026. Epub 2014 Jul 30.
- Meyer MC, Johnston AM, Crocker AM, Heil SH. Methadone and buprenorphine for opioid dependence during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study. J Addict Med. 2015 Mar-Apr;9(2):81-6. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000092.
- R34DA030534