2024/12/13 by Theresa Nutz, Nora Müller, Hao Ting Chan · 1 voice
Medicine · Social Sciences · #Reproductive Health and Contraception #Sex and Gender in Healthcare #Health disparities and outcomes
paper · pdf · doi:10.31235/osf.io/k2q6w
This study examines generational trends in hormonal contraceptive use among women of three birth cohorts (1991-93, 1981-83, 1971-73) and identifies their key predictors and changes over time. Since the 1960s, the birth control pill as the most prominent form of hormonal contraception has shaped women’s reproductive autonomy, influencing family planning and career choices. Recent trends show a decline in hormonal contraceptive use in Western countries, but research has largely relied on cross-sectional data, leaving it unclear whether this trend reflects short-term period effects or broader cohort-driven changes. Using longitudinal data from the German Family Panel (pairfam; waves 1-14), this study applies supervised machine learning to identify potential predictors of hormonal contraceptive use. Thirty-seven predictors were included, encompassing family demography, gender role values, health, origin, personality, region, religiosity, and socio-economic characteristics. The analyses showed a decline in hormonal contraceptive use across all birth cohorts over time. Both cohort and period differences shaped the key predictors of hormonal contraceptive use. Predictors shifted from family demographic factors in older cohorts to personality traits in younger ones, highlighting increasingly personalized decision-making. The relevance of income underscored the economic dimension of access to contraception. These shifts reflect evolving dynamics in contraceptive use, with implications for public health strategies and policymaking.