Draft Sexual Health Campaign March 2014

Campaign Name / Contraception Awareness
Target Audience / Women age 25 plus
Settings / Community Settings for example libraries, rent offices, family centres, community drop in services, health care settings and pharmacy.
Campaign Aim / To contribute to a reduction in the number of terminations and repeat terminations in BME women age 25+ living in Lambeth and Southwark and to raise awareness of contraception choice
Campaign Objectives / To provide information on access to services that provide contraception
To raise awareness of contraception methods and choices
To increase the number BME women over 25 using Reproductive Sexual Health Services in Lambeth and Southwark
To contribute to the reduction of terminations and repeat terminations in women over the age of 25
Resources Required / 300 A3 Posters
3000 fliers
(Resources to be available in the following languages
Portuguese
Spanish
Somali
Partner Organisations / Guys and St Thomas
Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham African Health forum
Latin American Women’s Rights Service
Evaluation / Process Evaluation – Focus Groups/Surveys/evidence from TOP reports;
Report on distribution of campaign resources
Evaluation of campaign materials with target groups
Increase in number of women aged over 25 from BME communities accessing RSH contraception services reported in Quarterly reports

Background Information

Around one in three women will have an abortion during their lifetime and a third of these women will experience more than one, (Stone & Ingham 2011). 33,209 terminations were provided in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham (LSL), between 2008/9 and 2012/13 under commissioning contracts. While there has been an annual decrease in the number of abortions over the 5 year period, rates remain highest amongst those age 19-25 and they are significantly high in women between the ages of 25 -35 and reduction in termination rates over the 5 year period is not as obvious within this age grouping in respect of Lambeth and Southwark. Across LSL, Black or Black British: Black African had the highest attendance of 25%, the second highest group is White British at 23%Black or Black British: Black African cohort has decreased from 29% in 2011/12 to 25% in 2012/13, White British cohort has increased by 1% and Black or Black British: Black Caribbean cohort has increased by 2%. Repeat termination figures for 2012/13 are not included in the most recent LSL commissioning report however previous reports highlighted women from BME groups were disproportionably represented amongst those seeking repeat abortions.

A literature review was undertaken and key to all the research reviewed and well acknowledged as a driver for initial and repeat abortions is the failure of a contraceptive method, consistent use of a contraceptive method or the absence of a reliable contraceptive method, (Das et al, 2009, Stone & Ingham 2011). In building a profile of women who might present more than one for a termination, Stone and Ingham observed women relying on traditional methods of contraception such as withdrawal or natural family planning at their first sexual encounter were more likely to undergo repeat terminations. Several of the women we spoke to in our focus groups relied on these traditional methods of contraception

In addition to the literature review, a series of surveys and focus groups were held in Lambeth and Southwark. Women from BME communities were specifically targeted for community focus groups and this included a focus group with Somali women. The focus group provided participants to share their experiences, concerns and knowledge gaps about contraception choices.

The women identified the following issues on which this campaign is based.

  • Limited selection of resources providing information about contraception choices.
  • Limited knowledge about contraception choices.
  • Concerns about side effects in relation to using hormonal contraception, Concerns included weight gain, affect on long term fertility and fears because of the links with cancer and other illness.
  • Absence of information in other languages beyond English.
  • Limited choice to contraception methods in some settings.
  • Existing resources available do not specify the health benefits of contraception beyond birth control.
  • Existing written resources on contraception methods are only available in healthcare settings such as GP services and RSH Clinics and therefore not where the community are.

Contraception awareness is a campaign to raise awareness of contraception methods and where contraception can be accessed in Lambeth and Southwark. Initial resources will be produced in English but we plan to translate resources to

  • Spanish,
  • Portuguese,
  • Somali. .

According to the ONS data set 7,530 residents in Lambeth and 7,738 Southwark residents speak an African language as their main language. Large numbers of the local population also speak Portuguese, Spanish and Polish as their main language however contraceptive patient information is not available in a broad range of languages at community centres or NHS provider services.

The Office of National Statistics estimate there are 115000 living in England and according to the UK Census 2011 there was in excess of 99,000 Somali born residents living in the UK of who 65,000 lived London. There is very little information about contraception or sexual health written in Somali language and our focus group discussions with women from the Somali Community identified issues with access to services, gaps in knowledge about contraception methods and myths about the use of contraception.

Campaign Dissemination

Campaign materials will be distributed to community groups and centres where women go. The campaign material will also be available to order from the health promotion access catalogue. Leads for the CCG will be provided with information about the campaign and how to access materials in order that they can disseminate this to the services they commission.

A Health Promotion stand will be held at East Street Market in Southwark on International Women’s day 8th March 2014 and staff and volunteers from RSH and community services will distribute resources to women from the community.

Materials produced for this campaign are not time limited so services will be able to continue using the materials to raise awareness of contraception in the future.

References:

Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham Tops Commissioning Report 2011/12

Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham TOPS Commissioning Report 2012/13

Office of National Statistics Census information 2011

Stone N, Ingham R (2010) Who presents more than once? Repeat abortion among women in Brittan. Journal Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care 209-215(37).

Das S, Adengbnro A, Ray S, Amu O, Repeat abortion: fact and issues