Factors related to contraceptive behavior among socially disadvantaged adolescents in southwestern Mexico

Abstract

Objective: To determine the direct and indirect effects between individual background (sex, gender violence), social background (occupation), information background (contraceptive knowledge), attitudes toward contraceptive use, peer norms toward sexuality, contraceptive self-efficacy, and intention toward contraceptive use with contraceptive behavior of socially disadvantaged adolescents.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional correlational-predictive study was conducted in 247 sexually active adolescents, residents of socially underprivileged communities in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, Mexico. A structural equation model was developed using AMOS version 23 statistical software.

Results: The adjusted model explained 19% of the variance, where positive attitudes towards contraceptive use (β=.22, p<.01), intention to use contraception (β=.22, p<.001), contraceptive self-efficacy (β=.13, p<.05) and occupation (β=.15, p<.01) were directly and positively related to increased contraceptive behavior, while gender-based violence (β=-.19, p<.01) was negatively related.

Conclusions: Intention towards contraceptive use, positive attitudes towards contraceptive use, contraceptive self-efficacy and occupation were direct and positive predictors of contraceptive behavior of socially disadvantaged adolescents, while gender-based violence was directly and negatively related to this outcome variable. Understanding the factors that influence contraceptive behavior in adolescents living in poverty is essential for the design of programs aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies.

Keywords: Contraceptives; Adolescents; Social Disadvantage in Health; Poverty.