Hormonal Contraception Use Among Young Adult Women

这个建议的R 03项目集中在一个未充分研究但重要的问题：激素是如何 避孕方法的使用与异性伴侣的性交频率有关？ 激素避孕是一种安全有效的方法，以避免意外怀孕，80%的性活跃 女性使用口服避孕药（Guttmacher 2020）。然而，一些证据表明， 激素避孕的性副作用--包括性唤起和性功能下降--可能导致 一些夫妇停止使用（希金斯和史密斯2016;桑德斯等人2018），使他们容易受到 意外怀孕很少有研究描述了激素避孕药的使用与 性交，探索这些联系的研究已经被跨部门的研究所破坏。 设计，小样本，和/或忽视亲密关系的背景。 我们提出了一个国家的最先进的统计分析现有的密集的纵向调查数据。调查 数据来自953名年轻女性（18-22岁），她们参加了NICHD资助的项目， 动态和社会生活（RDSL）研究，收集每周关于亲密关系，混合性别 从18岁或19岁开始，持续2.5年的性交、避孕药具的使用和怀孕。这些数据-与 在每种关系中进行重复调查--提供了第一次描述相互联系的机会 在这些关系的过程中，异性性交和激素避孕药的使用之间的关系。 我们对这个项目有三个具体目标。首先，我们将估计每周的逻辑回归模型 性交概率，使用中间固定效应/随机效应（混合）规范，以 测试我们的假设，即一对异性伴侣发生性关系的概率较低，当他们 使用激素避孕方法的夫妇比不使用激素避孕方法的夫妇要多。第二、 我们将使用同样的方法来检验我们的假设，即使用激素避孕药的后果， 性频率会随着时间的推移而积累，关系持续时间的净值。第三，我们将使用多层次（混合 影响）模型，这很容易允许包含上层之间的跨级别交互 （个人/关系）特征和激素避孕药的使用作为性频率的预测因素， 测试我们的假设，激素避孕药的使用和性频率之间的关联不同， 这取决于亲密关系的特征。 我们提出了一个互补的，独特的合格的研究团队：詹妮弗·巴伯博士，教授 金赛研究所社会学和高级科学家（RDSL项目的PI;亲密关系和 Shari Blumenstock博士，金赛研究所的博士后研究员（性研究专家） 行为和亲密关系）。

This proposed R03 project focuses on an understudied but important question: how is hormonal contraceptive method use associated with the frequency of sexual intercourse among mixed-sex couples? Hormonal contraception is a safe and effective way to avoid undesired pregnancy, and 80% of sexually active women have used the oral contraception pill (Guttmacher 2020). However, some evidence suggests that sexual side effects of hormonal contraception – including decreased arousal and sexual functioning – may lead some couples to discontinue its use (Higgins & Smith 2016; Sanders et al. 2018), leaving them vulnerable to an undesired pregnancy. Very little research has described the links between hormonal contraceptive use and sexual intercourse, and the studies that have explored these links have been undermined by cross-sectional designs, small samples, and/or neglect of the intimate relationship context. We propose a state-of-the art statistical analysis of existing intensive longitudinal survey data. The survey data are from 953 young women (ages 18-22) who participated in an NICHD-funded project, the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life (RDSL) study, which collected weekly surveys on intimate relationships, mixed-sex sexual intercourse, contraceptive use, and pregnancy for 2.5 years beginning at age 18 or 19. This data—with repeated surveys within each relationship—provides the first opportunity to describe the interconnections between heterosexual intercourse and hormonal contraceptive use across the course of these relationships. We have three specific aims for this project. First, we will estimate logistic regression models of the weekly probability of sexual intercourse, using a within-between fixed-effects/random-effects (hybrid) specification, to test our hypothesis that a mixed-sex couple’s probability of having sexual intercourse is lower when they are using a hormonal contraceptive method than when that same couple is not using a hormonal method. Second, we will use the same methods to test our hypothesis that the consequences of hormonal contraceptive use for sexual frequency will accumulate over time, net of relationship duration. Third, we will use multilevel (mixed effects) models, which easily permit the inclusion of cross-level interactions between upper-level (individual/relationship) characteristics and hormonal contraceptive use as predictors of sexual frequency, to test our hypothesis that the association between hormonal contraceptive use and sexual frequency differs depending on the characteristics of the intimate relationship. We propose a complementary, uniquely qualified investigator team: Dr. Jennifer Barber, Professor of Sociology and Senior Scientist at the Kinsey Institute (PI of RDSL project; expert in intimate relationships and contraceptive use) and Dr. Shari Blumenstock, a post-doctoral fellow at the Kinsey Institute (expert in sexual behavior and intimate relationships).