Ronna Chan, MPH, Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rosenau Hall, CB #7445, Chapel Hill, NC 27559, 00000000, ronna@email.unc.edu and Sandra L. Martin, PhD, Department of MCH, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, CB#7445, 401 Rosenau Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7445.

This research examines whether women's and men's experiences of physical and/or sexual assault are associated with their use of contraception. The analysis uses data from the year 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a random digit dial telephone survey of 3,706 non-institutionalized men and women in North Carolina. Respondents were asked about a variety of topics during the survey, including questions concerning their use of contraception within the past 12 months and their experiences of physical and sexual assault. The analysis was restricted to sexually active, heterosexual women (18-44 years old) and men (18-59 years old). The results showed that 6% of the women and 4% of the men experienced some type of assault within the past year. Seventy-one percent of the women used contraception in the past year, as did 53% of the men. Logistic regression analysis, that controlled for sociodemographic factors, found that female victims of sexual violence were significantly less likely than female non-victims to use contraception (OR=0.23, 95% C.I.=0.06-0.95); furthermore, male victims of physical assault were significantly less likely than male non-victims to use contraception (OR=0.39, 95% C.I.=0.16-0.94). These findings suggest that recent violent victimization may have a serious impact on victims' reproductive health and family planning behavior.

Learning Objectives:

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.