Access to contraception, even reimbursed, is not a given for everyone. This is the result of the report “Contraception: disparities in use among women by income level”, published this Wednesday 22 November by the National Institute of Demographic Studies (INED), in collaboration with the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). If access to contraception is an essential lever for reproductive and sexual health, “Inequalities persist in the use of reimbursed contraceptives », underlines the report.
Low-income women use fewer reimbursed contraceptives
The data is impressive: 36% of low-income women use a reimbursed contraceptive, compared to 46% of women with higher incomes. How to explain these disparities, which persist regardless of patients’ age? The cause is numerous obstacles, which it is urgent to better understand in order to provide a social response that is up to the challenges, states INED: “A thorough understanding of the barriers to contraceptive use is critically important to enable women to make informed choices about the spacing and timing of their pregnancies. »
As this study shows, “ Removing one financial barrier, through reimbursement, does not guarantee the absence of other barriers that could hinder access to contraception for low-income women “. Among other obstacles highlighted, “difficulty in accessing contraceptive prescribers” or even the “difficulty in obtaining an appointment, administratively maintaining health coverage”…
When it is difficult to get an appointment with the gynecologist, or if the price of the visit is too high (for example due to excessive fees), these women can turn to a general practitioner, who does not offer such a wide choice of contraceptives in as a specialist, analyzes the report.
As a result, some women prefer to use contraceptives without reimbursement and/or without a medical prescription, such as some condoms, the so-called third and fourth generation pills, contraceptive patches, vaginal rings or cervical caps. Some also prefer unreliable natural methods, such as abstinence or monitoring the menstrual cycle.
This study was conducted on health insurance data from 14.8 million women, aged 15 to 49, living in France in 2019. Of these, 11% lived below the poverty line monetary, i.e. around €100 for a single person.
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Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
