title: Exploring African-American and Latino Teens' Perceptions of Contraception and Access to Reproductive Health Care Services.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reducing disparities in teen pregnancy and birth rates among African American and Latina teens is a central focus of a community-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiative implemented by the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Disparities in teen pregnancy and birth rates are driven, in part, by differential access to contraception and reproductive health care services. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand African American and Latino teens' 1) preferences for finding health information, 2) perceptions of accessing reproductive health services, and 3) beliefs about contraception.
  
  
  METHODS
  As a part of this community-wide initiative, eight focus groups were conducted in the Fall of 2012 with African American and Latino male and female youth from two communities in South Carolina. Among eight focus groups of youth, teens most often reported parents, other trusted relatives, and the Internet as sources of health information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants discussed the value of social media and television advertisements for reaching young people and emphasized the importance of privacy, a desire for a teen-only clinic, and the need for friendly clinical staff. Participants' comments often reflected inaccurate beliefs about the reliability and correct usage of contraceptive methods. Female participants also reported side effects of birth control as a potential barrier to use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ensuring that teens' beliefs and perceptions are taken into account when developing, marketing, and implementing culturally competent reproductive health care services is important to improve access to care for all teens in Horry and Spartanburg Counties.
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Charlotte T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Galloway
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Columbia, South Carolina. Electronic address: jduffy@teenpregnancysc.org.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Rena P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Taleria R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Fuller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods; D003267:Contraception / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control; D034121:Reproductive Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013022:South Carolina; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: African-American teens; Contraception; Disparities; Latino teens; Reproductive health care; Teen pregnancy prevention