Factors influencing partners' involvement in women's contraceptive services

Background: Involving women's partners in family planning services may be one avenue by which rates of unplanned pregnancies can be reduced. Study Design: In 2009, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2113 women aged 18-49 years receiving services from Title X family planning clinics in the United States about their contraceptive use and their current partner, including partners' past involvement in seeking and obtaining contraceptive services. Results: More than half of the women in the sample (56%) indicated that their partners were at least partially involved in their contraceptive services. In the multivariable analysis, race/ethnicity, union status and relationship satisfaction were all significant predictors of partner involvement in contraceptive services. Women reporting that their partners interfere with their birth control were nearly twice as likely as women without interfering partners to report those partners being involved in their contraceptive services. Contraceptive use at last sex was not associated with partner involvement in contraceptive services in either bivariable or multivariable analyses. Conclusion: In designing future couple-focused programs, clinics may need to focus on the interpersonal dynamics of couple-based decision-making and behaviors and tailor their programs given the characteristics of clients most likely to avail themselves of these services.