Association of 12-Month Contraceptive Supply Policy and Months of Oral Contraception Prescribed by Obstetrics and Gynecology Physicians: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract Objective This study sought to determine if there was a difference in the months of oral contraception prescribed by physicians living in U.S. states with a 12-month supply policy compared to physicians in states without a policy. Methods We conducted an exploratory descriptive study using a convenience sample of Obstetrics & Gynecology resident physicians (n=275) in the United States. Standard bivariate analyses were used to compare the difference between groups. Results Few physicians in both groups (3.8% with a policy and 1.4% without a policy) routinely prescribed a 12-month supply of contraception. The mean coverage prescribed by providers in states with and without a policy was 2.81 and 2.07 months (p<0.05). Conclusions The majority of physicians were unaware of 12-month contraceptive supply policies and unable to correctly write a prescription for 12-months of contraception, regardless of whether they lived in a state with a 12-month contraceptive supply policy. Physician education may be needed to effectively implement 12-month contraceptive supply policies.