Women in Mississippi experience high rates of unintended pregnancy, which can be associated with the use of less effective methods of contraception. In an effort to better understand the role of health care providers in contraceptive access, the Center for Mississippi Health Policy engaged researchers at the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University to survey obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyn’s), family practice physicians, and nurse practitioners regarding their experience and opinions related to long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs).

KEY FINDINGS

• Ob-gyn’s report providing high numbers of LARCs, while family practice physicians and nurse practitioners are much more likely to refer women to other providers for these services.

• More than 90 percent of ob-gyn’s reported receiving training for counseling, insertion, and removal of LARCs, while just over half of family practice doctors and approximately 30 percent of nurse practitioners reported receiving training on LARC insertion and removal.
• Nationally, 70 percent of women 18-44 rely on a family practice doctor as their regular source of care, while 14 percent rely on an ob-gyn, and 10 percent rely on a nurse practitioner.
• Mississippi has a low number of ob-gyn’s for its population compared to other states, and most of these are clustered in urban areas and around facilities with labor and delivery units.

• Women without means to travel may be limited to publicly funded clinics which are less likely to be staffed by ob-gyn’s.

More findings from this survey are summarized in the Center’s Issue Brief, and detailed analyses of survey responses can be found in the complete SSRC Report.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Copies of the Issue Brief can be downloaded HERE.  Copies of the complete SSRC Report can be downloaded HERE.  Printed copies of the Issue Brief are available by contacting the Center for Mississippi Health Policy at 601-709-2133 or by e-mail at info@mshealthpolicy.com.