BackgroundOne in six pregnancies in Britain are unplanned. An understanding of influences on contraceptive method choice is essential to provision compatible with users’ lifestyles. This study describes contraceptive method use by age, and relationship status and duration, among women in Britain.MethodsData from women participating in the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles were used to describe contraceptive use grouped as: unreliable method or none; barrier methods; oral/injectable hormonal methods; and long-acting reversible contraception. A total of 4456 women at risk of pregnancy were used to examine associations between contraception use, age, relationship type and duration. Age-stratified odds ratios for contraceptive use by relationship type and duration were estimated using binary logistic regression.ResultsSome 26.0% of 16–49-year-olds used hormonal contraception as their usual method. Use of hormonal and barrier methods was highest in the youngest age group and decreased with age; the reverse was true for use of unreliable methods or none. Barrier method use was higher in short-term relationships among younger participants; this was not seen among older respondents. Duration was more strongly associated with usual contraceptive method than relationship type; this pattern was more marked among younger participants.ConclusionsAsking about relationship status and duration may help providers support women’s contraceptive use by considering their priorities and preferences at different life stages. Interactions between relationship characteristics, age and contraception are complex, and bear closer scrutiny both in research and in policy and practice.
Summary
Objective
To assess completeness and accuracy of children's body mass index (BMI) recorded in general practice electronic health records (GP‐EHRs).
Methods
We linked National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) records from 29 839 5‐year‐olds and 26 660 11‐year‐olds attending state schools in inner London to GP‐EHRs (95% linked; 49.1% girls). We estimated adjusted odds (aOR) of at least one GP‐BMI record by sex, ethnic background, area‐level deprivation, weight‐status and long‐term conditions. We examined within‐child BMI differences and compared obesity prevalence from these sources.
Results
10.5% (2964/28330) and 26.0% (6598/25365) of 5‐ and 11‐year‐olds respectively had at least one GP‐BMI record. Underweight (aOR;95% CI:1.71;1.34,2.19), obesity (1.45;1.27,1.65), South Asian background (1.55;1.38,1.74), presence of a long‐term condition (8.15;7.31,9.10), and residence in deprived areas (Wald statistic 38.73; P‐value<0.0001) were independently associated with at least one GP‐BMI record. NCMP‐BMI and GP‐BMI differed by +0.45(95% Limits of Agreement −1.60,+2.51) and + 0.16(−2.86,+3.18) in 5‐ and 11‐year‐olds, respectively. The prevalence of obesity based on GP‐BMI was 18.2%(16.1,20.5) and 35.9%(33.9,38.0) in 5‐ and 11‐year‐olds respectively, compared to 12.9%(12.5,13.3) and 26.9%(26.4,27.4) based on NCMP‐BMI.
Conclusion
Child BMI is not comprehensively recorded in urban general practice. Linkage to school measurement records is feasible and enables assessment of health outcomes of obesity.
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