Globally, adolescents and youth (ages 15-24) are a rapidly growing population with a high unmet need for contraception and a correspondingly high rate of unintended pregnancy. Yet, young people also face considerable supply- and demand-side barriers to accessing contraceptive services and their chosen methods. These barriers are compounded by the nuanced needs of young people throughout their adolescent and youth years, whereby young people are transitioning into first partnership, sexual activity, pregnancy, and marriage. To address these issues, the global community has committed to improving young people’s access to and use of an expanded choice of contraceptive methods in order to meet their reproductive goals.
Expanded method choice means ensuring that all individuals and couples have the agency, information, access, and support they need to freely choose and obtain the contraceptive method they prefer, in an environment free from bias or stigma. As programs seek to increase modern contraceptive use among young people, effective strategies are needed to ensure that young people can access high-quality services and the contraceptive method of their choice, both where and when they need it. A comprehensive strategy to increase access to an expanded choice of methods for young people in low- and middle-income countries requires input from researchers, policymakers, and program implementers to ensure best practices are identified, implemented, evaluated, and sustained.
This Research Topic will focus on expanded contraceptive method choice among adolescents and youth in low- and middle-income countries. We welcome a broad range of contributions with a research, practice, and policy focus. Submissions may include Original Research Articles (qualitative or quantitative), Systematic Reviews, Policy and Practice Reviews, Clinical Trials, Policy Briefs, Brief Research Reports, and Commentaries. We encourage submissions focused on young people on:
• Influencing factors – facilitators and barriers – on young people’s ability to choose from a range of methods and continue a chosen method
• Contraceptive choice needs for varying subpopulations such as very young adolescents, unmarried vs. married adolescents/youth, and post-pregnancy young women.
• Life course perspectives on method choice, including continuation and method switching
• Client perspectives and experiences, including knowledge and awareness, choice and autonomy, satisfaction, and other factors influencing contraceptive method choice
• Engagement of young people in the design and implementation of programs offering a range of methods, including successes and lessons learned
• Examination of how policy gaps and/or shifts in policy influence young peoples’ access to and use of a range of methods
Globally, adolescents and youth (ages 15-24) are a rapidly growing population with a high unmet need for contraception and a correspondingly high rate of unintended pregnancy. Yet, young people also face considerable supply- and demand-side barriers to accessing contraceptive services and their chosen methods. These barriers are compounded by the nuanced needs of young people throughout their adolescent and youth years, whereby young people are transitioning into first partnership, sexual activity, pregnancy, and marriage. To address these issues, the global community has committed to improving young people’s access to and use of an expanded choice of contraceptive methods in order to meet their reproductive goals.
Expanded method choice means ensuring that all individuals and couples have the agency, information, access, and support they need to freely choose and obtain the contraceptive method they prefer, in an environment free from bias or stigma. As programs seek to increase modern contraceptive use among young people, effective strategies are needed to ensure that young people can access high-quality services and the contraceptive method of their choice, both where and when they need it. A comprehensive strategy to increase access to an expanded choice of methods for young people in low- and middle-income countries requires input from researchers, policymakers, and program implementers to ensure best practices are identified, implemented, evaluated, and sustained.
This Research Topic will focus on expanded contraceptive method choice among adolescents and youth in low- and middle-income countries. We welcome a broad range of contributions with a research, practice, and policy focus. Submissions may include Original Research Articles (qualitative or quantitative), Systematic Reviews, Policy and Practice Reviews, Clinical Trials, Policy Briefs, Brief Research Reports, and Commentaries. We encourage submissions focused on young people on:
• Influencing factors – facilitators and barriers – on young people’s ability to choose from a range of methods and continue a chosen method
• Contraceptive choice needs for varying subpopulations such as very young adolescents, unmarried vs. married adolescents/youth, and post-pregnancy young women.
• Life course perspectives on method choice, including continuation and method switching
• Client perspectives and experiences, including knowledge and awareness, choice and autonomy, satisfaction, and other factors influencing contraceptive method choice
• Engagement of young people in the design and implementation of programs offering a range of methods, including successes and lessons learned
• Examination of how policy gaps and/or shifts in policy influence young peoples’ access to and use of a range of methods