title: Long-acting reversible contraceptive use in urban women from a title X-supported Boston community health center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unintended and adolescent pregnancy disproportionately affects minority populations, but the effect of age, race and ethnicity on the use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) has not been well studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this pilot study was to examine LARC use over a 5-year period among women receiving care at a Boston community health center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study of LARC method use among black, Hispanic, and white women receiving care at the Dimock Center from 2006 to 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study included 276 women (60.1% black, 18.5% Hispanic, and 9.1% white). LARC was not used as a first-line method in the majority (96.0%), regardless of age, race, and ethnicity; yet nearly half identified a long-acting contraceptive as their method of choice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this pilot study reveal opportunities to reduce unintended pregnancy through increased LARC use, which may be accomplished by provider and patient education.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA Dimock Center, Roxbury, MA, USA hricciot@bidmc.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Hope A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ricciotti
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Dodge
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Christina I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Michele R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hacker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001900:Boston; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted / Q000208:ethnology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adolescent pregnancy; community health; long-acting reversible contraception; minority women; racial and ethnic differences contraception use