Contraception Initiation Feasibility in the Pediatric ED

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Contraception; Contraception Behavior
• Interventions: Diagnostic Test: Intervention Group; Other: Control Group

• Registration Number: NCT03559634
• Lead Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine

Brief Summary

Many female adolescents using the pediatric emergency department (ED) are at higher risk for unintended pregnancy. This is a significant public health issue and hormonal contraception is the mainstay of prevention. Many barriers to hormonal contraception exist and other studies have demonstrated that referral from the ED for hormonal contraception leads to poor follow up.

This study will be a pilot study to assess the feasibility of initiating hormonal contraception in the pediatric ED.

Detailed Description

This study will assess the feasibility of initiating hormonal contraception in the pediatric ED. Currently, all 15-21-year-old patients receiving care in our ED are asked to complete an adolescent heath questionnaire to identify risk-factors for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Sexually active female patients who indicate on this questionnaire they are not currently using hormonal contraception will be eligible for participation in this study.

Potential participants will be screened using the EMR and eligible patients will be approached. Consent will be obtained from adults directly and from a parent or guardian for minors that have one present. For minors that present without a parent or guardian, assent only with be obtained from the minor. Participants will be randomized into two groups, an intervention group and a control group. Participants in both groups will be given tablet computer and, through a software application on the tablet, answer questions electronically about their background, medical history, and contraceptive preferences. They will then be shown a video that provides an overview of hormonal contraceptive options. Depending on the participants medical history and contraceptive preferences, they may be offered more in-depth educational videos about specific types of hormonal contraception for which they are eligible (e.g. pill, transdermal patch, intravaginal ring, injection, and implant).

Once they have completed watching the videos, participants in the intervention group will have the option of initiating one of the offered forms of birth control during the ED visit. They will only be offered medications considered low risk and for which they do not have any medical contraindications. Urine pregnancy testing will be done before any method is given. They will be able to start any contraceptive method from among those offered after their screening. Participants in the control group will be offered outpatient referral to initiate contraception, the current standard of care in our ED. All patients in both arms of the study will be given referral/follow up options for further contraceptive care.

All participants in this study will then be followed up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months to determine continuation of contraception practices, follow up practices, satisfaction, and pregnancy rates.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2018-05-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-06-05
• Study First Posted: 2018-06-18
• Study Start: 2019-05-20
• Primary Completion: 2021-01-26
• Study Completion: 2023-01-30
• Status Verified: 2024-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-03-26
• Last Update Posted: 2024-03-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 55

Inclusion Criteria

• Female patients, 15-21 years old that present to the SLCH pediatric ED
• Report history of vaginal sex on the ED routine screening questionnaire
• Not currently using hormonal contraception

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Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnant
• Currently using hormonal contraception
• Foster care
• Non-English speaking
• Chief complaint of psychiatric concern, physical abuse or sexual abuse
• Triage acuity level 1 or 2 as they are likely to be too ill to participate
• Those with history of stroke, venous thromboembolism, actively being treated for cancer, or who have an organ transplant
• Too ill to participate as determined by the pediatric ED health care provider (attending physician or advanced practice nurse)
• Already participated in the study

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention group	Intervention Group	Using an electronic application, participants answer survey questions about their sexual history, medical history, and contraceptive preferences. They will watch a video that overviews the types of hormonal contraception. Then, based on survey answers, they will be able to watch more in-depth educational videos on methods that they qualify for. Participants will only be offered methods that are considered low risk and without any contraindication based upon responses to survey screening. This may include, contraceptive implant, medroxyprogesterone acetate injection, microgestin pills, xulane patch, or intravaginal ring. Participants will then be given the opportunity to initiate contraception in the ED. All participants will be referred for follow up outpatient health services. Subjects who have medical contraindications to certain contraceptive medications will be given a standardized handout that explains why they were not eligible for the medication(s) while in the ED.
Control Group	Control Group	Using an electronic application, participants answer survey questions about their background, sexual history, medical history, and contraceptive preferences. They will watch a video that overviews the types of hormonal contraception with brief pros and cons of each method. Then, based on participants medical history and contraceptive preferences they will be able to watch more in-depth counseling and educational videos on contraceptive methods that they qualify for. After these videos they will be given information on where they will be able to follow up to receive these contraceptive methods if they wish to start a method. Subjects who have medical contraindications to certain hormonal contraceptive medications will be given a standardized handout that explains why they were not eligible for the medication(s), should this come up in future discussions with their providers.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Initiation of contraception in the ED using the electronic application	12 months	The proportion of enrolled patients that initiate contraception when offered same-day (intervention arm) compared to those that initiate contraception at follow up (the control arm) at 3 months.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Pregnancy rates	12 months.	The number of participants that become pregnant within 12 months in the intervention group verses the control group.
Delivery process related outcomes #2	At initial encounter.	Subject length of stay defined by arrival time to disposition (admit or discharge) from ED.
Delivery process related outcomes #1	At initial encounter.	Total length of time of the intervention beginning after consent and ending with provision of contraception, contraceptive script, or declining initiation of contraception.
Contraceptive continuation	At 3,6, and 12 months.	Percentage of participants that are using hormonal contraception in the intervention group as compared to the control group at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.
Delivery process related outcomes #3	At initial encounter and at follow up at 3, 6, and 12 months.	Patient experience and satisfaction survey both directly after program and at follow up at 3, 6, and 12 months. Likert 5 point scale will be used with the following rating options strongly agree, agree, no opinion, disagree, or strongly disagree. Data will be stored in original language and in a numerical scale, with a range of 1 to 5 with 5 for the question being better experience/satisfaction. Following completion of enrollment, all data will be aggregated and analyzed to determine mean and standard deviation of all questions.
Delivery process related outcomes #4	At initial encounter.	Providers (doctors and nurses) experience and satisfaction survey for initial visit in ED. Likert 5 point scale will be used with the following rating options strongly agree, agree, no opinion, disagree, or strongly disagree. Data will be stored in original language and in a numerical scale, with a range of 1 to 5 with 5 for the question being better experience/satisfaction. Following completion of enrollment, all data will be aggregated and analyzed to determine mean and standard deviation of all questions.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Washington Univeristy at St Louis; 🇺🇸 Saint Louis, Missouri, United States