Information is Essential for Access: Findings from Power to Decide’s Inaugural Youth Reproductive Health Access (YouR HeAlth) Survey
Power to Decide has released data from the national Youth Reproductive Health Access (YouR HeAlth) Survey, a new survey initiative designed to assess young people’s knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with contraception and abortion information and services. The 2024 YouR HeAlth Survey complements existing behavioral surveillance systems by providing actionable data to support access to quality sexual and reproductive health care. The 2024 YouR HeAlth Survey was conducted in Summer 2024 with over 1,200 adolescents and young adults aged 15-29 who were assigned female at birth. The YouR HeAlth Survey 2024 Data Report presents select findings from the inaugural survey.
Findings underscore the work to be done to provide young people with trusted, resonate, and accurate information so they can make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health care. About one-quarter of young people did not have the information they needed to make a decision about whether using birth control is right for them, and about one-third did not have enough information to decide which method is best for them. Findings also suggest that misinformation about birth control is common. About one-third are concerned that birth control will affect future fertility. Nearly 20% think menstrual cycle tracking applications are a highly effective way to prevent pregnancy. At a time when access to abortion is especially challenging to navigate, only one in five young people had received any information about abortion in the past year.
Providers are well-positioned to address these gaps in information. When asked how they want to get information about birth control and abortion, the vast majority of young people (80%) said providers for both topics. Young people likely prefer to get information from providers because they are trusted source. Among those who received information from a provider in the past year (only 33%), nearly 85% trusted it “a lot.”
Unfortunately, findings indicate that many young people may not have the information they need to seek out a provider. About one-third and one-half of young people are not fully confident they can find a provider they trust to provide birth control and abortion services, respectively. Moreover, there are missed opportunities to deliver this information even once a young person is connected to care. The survey found that while most young people (about 75%) had a preventive health visit in the past year, less than half (45%) had their provider talk with them about birth control at that visit.
As options for obtaining contraception and abortion care extend beyond traditional clinic-based visits, education about these novel service delivery approaches is needed to truly expand access. Despite the recent FDA approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill without any age restrictions, 28% of YouR HeAlth Survey respondents didn’t think that teenagers under the age of 18 can get birth control pills over the counter without a prescription. Only about one-third had heard of telehealth medication abortion (33%) or self-managed medication abortion (32%), compared with 82% who were aware of procedural abortion.
Power to Decide is working to address these challenges by democratizing access to quality information using our unique digital programs, Bedsider and AbortionFinder. After providers, websites were the second most preferred information source among YouR HeAlth Survey respondents. We are also exploring how to include content from providers as part of our digital portfolio, like in our series #AskDrRaegan, so that young people can hear from this trusted source outside of the clinical setting. Of course, connecting young people to care is also essential, and our flagship programs provide clinic finders for both contraceptive services and abortion care, in addition to offering information about other service delivery options. In terms of reducing missed opportunities for patient-centered counseling, our intervention, Let’s Talk Birth Control, which includes a provider training and patient education, is currently being evaluated in community health centers. Many others are also working to enhance the quality of clinic-based sexual and reproductive health care.
Through these initiatives and others, we can provide young people with the information they need to access the contraception and abortion care they want and deserve. While information is necessary, it is not sufficient, so it is critical that the field also continues to strengthen the availability, accessibility, affordability, and quality of health services. We hope the 2024 YouR HeAlth Survey data can inform these collective efforts toward achieving sexual and reproductive well-being.
More information about the 2024 YouR HeAlth Survey is available on our website. Power to Decide will also discuss the survey findings during a webinar on November 19 from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET moderated by Rewire News. Register now.