2025/09/12 by Aaliyah Gray, Shelly Sinclair, Mary Jo Trepka +1
Health Professions · Medicine · Psychology · #Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health #Reproductive Health and Contraception #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
paper · doi:10.1080/00224499.2025.2551730
Young adult Black women (YABW) report inadequate access to and experiences receiving sexual and reproductive health care. The purpose of this research was to examine perceived barriers to care among YABW. A nationwide sample of 500 YABW ages 18–22 years participated in an online survey. Participants reported on perceived logistical (knowledge, access, and cost) and stigma-based barriers (disclosure, discomfort, and judgment) to accessing prescription birth control, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, and abortion care. Bivariate analyses and multiple linear regressions assessed associations between outcomes and sexuality and relationship, behavioral, economic, sexual agency, stigma-related, policy, and state/community characteristics. A majority perceived at least one barrier to prescription birth control and STI testing (54 − 68%), and most perceived at least one barrier to abortion care access (79 − 80%). Perceived barriers to abortion care (logistical: M = 1.44, SD = .98; stigma: M = 1.56, SD = 1.03) were more common than barriers to STI testing (logistical: M = .86, SD = .94; stigma: M = 1.22, SD = 1.01) and prescription birth control (logistical: M = .86, SD = .87; stigma: M = .98, SD = .96). Perceived barriers varied by individual-level characteristics. Promoting healthy sexuality in YABW requires addressing perceived barriers to care.