title: An exploratory analysis of associations between eating disordered symptoms, perceived weight changes, and oral contraceptive discontinuation among young minority women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore associations between eating-disordered (ED) symptoms, perceived oral contraceptive (OC)-related weight changes, and OC discontinuation among young minority women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective substudy of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of a pill pack supply (3 vs. 7 months) on OC continuation among young urban women presenting to a university-affiliated community-based family planning clinic for OC management. Participants (n = 354) were adolescent (n = 173) and young adult (n = 181) women aged 13-24 years, predominantly underinsured and largely Hispanic (92%). We conducted a structured baseline interview that included an ED screening instrument. At the 6-month follow-up, we conducted a telephone interview to determine OC continuation and dimensions of perceived OC-related weight changes during the study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, 24% of the subjects fulfilled the moderate/severe ED symptom screen criteria (n = 60). By 6 months, 57% of the subjects (n = 200) reported weight changes and 62% (n = 218) had discontinued OC use. Unadjusted discontinuation rates were similar across age- and ED symptom groups. In multivariate analysis, both ED symptoms (odds ratio = .49, 95% confidence interval = .25-.96, p = .04) and perceived weight changes (odds ratio = .60, 95% confidence interval = .38-.94, p = .03) were negatively associated with OC continuation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ED symptoms and perceived weight changes were associated with an increased likelihood of OC discontinuation among these young women. Reproductive health practitioners should consider psychological symptoms when managing OC.
authors.affiliation: Office of Population Research, Center for Health and Wellbeing, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. kshall@princeton.edu
authors.forename: Kelli Stidham
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Katharine O'Connell
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Vaughn I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Rickert
authors.forename: Nancy K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Reame
authors.forename: Carolyn L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Westhoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008913:Minority Groups; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015430:Weight Gain; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral