Conference Abstract Compendium Examples from the ... - CityMatCH

2009 CityMatCH Urban MCH Leadership Conferencelikelihood in using highly effective contraceptives (p=.015); spirituality was not a significant predictor.Additionally, 24.34% of respondents indicated that at least one method of contraception was against theirreligious beliefs, although only 1.32% reported that their beliefs actually prevented them from using acontraceptive method suggested by a provider. The majority of respondents, 58.20%, believed that theirreligious institution would be supportive of their family planning choices, although 24.60% indicated thatthey would leave or switch their faith institution if their family planning choices were not supported (asopposed to not discussing choices publicly), indicating the importance of religious institutional support.LIMITATIONSThe study is limited by a relatively small sample size, comprised primarily of Christian women.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSReligion and faith play a mixed, but important role in the reproductive health decision making of lowincome,African-American women and should be considered when developing interventions. Religion canhave a two-pronged impact on reproductive health issues such as unintended pregnancy andcontraception. On an individual level, religious views and spirituality may influence a person or couple’sdecision-making about contraceptives, choices about when and how to have a family, and a myriad ofother health decisions faced on a daily basis. At the community level, faith institutions have the potentialto be very influential in areas of education, counseling, and establishing community norms – whetherfrom the pulpit, in spoken values shared through adult education classes, or unspoken values sharedamong a religious community. Given the great importance of religion and spirituality to this population oflow-income, African-American women, incorporating faith values and institutions should be consideredin effective outreach programs.88