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Perceptions, Knowledge, And Attitudes About Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (Larcs) Among Women In Appalachian Tennessee, Fenose Osedeme

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Tennessee (TN), the rate of unintended pregnancies remains higher than the national rate (32.4% vs. 30.3%). Although long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are 99% effective in preventing undesired pregnancies; uptake remains low in rural and underserved communities. Previous research has provided some insight into women’s perceptions of LARCs; however, those guided by conceptual frameworks to understand the multiple influences that impact perceptions towards LARCs, especially among rural regions, are scarce. This multimethod qualitative study explored multiple influences that impact northeast Tennessee women’s perceptions and attitudes toward LARCs using the Socio-ecological Model (SEM) as a guiding framework.

The study comprised six …