Location
D.P. Culp Center Ballroom
Start Date
4-5-2024 9:00 AM
End Date
4-5-2024 11:30 AM
Poster Number
36
Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor
Nathan Hale
Faculty Sponsor's Department
Health Services Management and Policy
Competition Type
Competitive
Type
Poster Presentation
Presentation Category
Health
Abstract or Artist's Statement
Title X is a federal grant program in the United States that aims to provide comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services for those with low incomes, no incomes, and un/under insured. Title X funds are allocated to a network of grantees, including state and local health departments, community health centers (including FQHCs), and non-profit organizations. These grantees operate clinics and health centers that provides essential services ranging from contraception counseling and provision to screenings for breast and cervical cancer, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy diagnosis and counseling to millions of individuals and families across the country. It is evident that family planning services at Title X-funded health centers in South Carolina contributed to preventing 13,880 unintended pregnancies and 6,540 unwanted births in 2016. This study presents a comprehensive retrospective analysis of the Title X Family Planning Program in South Carolina from 2012 to 2022, highlighting significant trends in reproductive health services among total populations who visited Title X clinics and contraceptive use among the same populations at risk of pregnancy. With data from the Title X Family Planning Annual Report, the research outlines the demographic shifts, preferences in contraceptive methods, and the impact of policy changes on service utilization. Despite a nationwide decline in Title X service users by 46% from 2012 to 2022, with South Carolina experiencing a 64% decrease, the use of most effective permanent contraceptive methods has increased from 1.36% (2012) to 1.49% (2022). The use of most and effective reversible methods increased from 6.44% (2012) to 16.79% (2022), moderately effective methods decreased from 68.95% (2012) to 60.19% (2022), and less effective methods increased from 19.81% (2012) to 20.58% (2022) in Title X clinics of South Carolina. An increasing trend in the use of the most effective reversible methods was observed over the past 11 years in South Carolina, mirroring trends in all the states of Region IV and the national average. Over the 11-year period, the number of users of moderately effective methods was higher in South Carolina compared to the overall number of users in the U.S. The use of less effective methods in South Carolina was comparable to the national average in 2022. The study also underscored the increasing male engagement in family planning services, rising from 7% to 18% of users. It reveals a concerning reduction in overall users attributed to the "domestic gag rule" and COVID-19 pandemic impacts, stressing the critical role of Title X in supporting low-income and uninsured populations. The findings advocate for enhanced access to most effective reversible contraceptive methods and the need for policy adaptations to ensure comprehensive family planning services remain accessible, particularly for the most vulnerable groups in South Carolina.
Title X Family Planning Program in South Carolina: Describing Trends in Reproductive Health Over the Past Decade
D.P. Culp Center Ballroom
Title X is a federal grant program in the United States that aims to provide comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services for those with low incomes, no incomes, and un/under insured. Title X funds are allocated to a network of grantees, including state and local health departments, community health centers (including FQHCs), and non-profit organizations. These grantees operate clinics and health centers that provides essential services ranging from contraception counseling and provision to screenings for breast and cervical cancer, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy diagnosis and counseling to millions of individuals and families across the country. It is evident that family planning services at Title X-funded health centers in South Carolina contributed to preventing 13,880 unintended pregnancies and 6,540 unwanted births in 2016. This study presents a comprehensive retrospective analysis of the Title X Family Planning Program in South Carolina from 2012 to 2022, highlighting significant trends in reproductive health services among total populations who visited Title X clinics and contraceptive use among the same populations at risk of pregnancy. With data from the Title X Family Planning Annual Report, the research outlines the demographic shifts, preferences in contraceptive methods, and the impact of policy changes on service utilization. Despite a nationwide decline in Title X service users by 46% from 2012 to 2022, with South Carolina experiencing a 64% decrease, the use of most effective permanent contraceptive methods has increased from 1.36% (2012) to 1.49% (2022). The use of most and effective reversible methods increased from 6.44% (2012) to 16.79% (2022), moderately effective methods decreased from 68.95% (2012) to 60.19% (2022), and less effective methods increased from 19.81% (2012) to 20.58% (2022) in Title X clinics of South Carolina. An increasing trend in the use of the most effective reversible methods was observed over the past 11 years in South Carolina, mirroring trends in all the states of Region IV and the national average. Over the 11-year period, the number of users of moderately effective methods was higher in South Carolina compared to the overall number of users in the U.S. The use of less effective methods in South Carolina was comparable to the national average in 2022. The study also underscored the increasing male engagement in family planning services, rising from 7% to 18% of users. It reveals a concerning reduction in overall users attributed to the "domestic gag rule" and COVID-19 pandemic impacts, stressing the critical role of Title X in supporting low-income and uninsured populations. The findings advocate for enhanced access to most effective reversible contraceptive methods and the need for policy adaptations to ensure comprehensive family planning services remain accessible, particularly for the most vulnerable groups in South Carolina.