Examining the Moderating Role of Formal Sex Education on Contraceptive Use Among Individuals with Sensory Disabilities

Luis Enrique Espinoza, Amanda M. Hinson-Enslin (), Heather F. de Vries McClintock, Paris G. Rangel and Alina M. Jordan
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Luis Enrique Espinoza: College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA
Amanda M. Hinson-Enslin: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Fairborn, OH 45324, USA
Heather F. de Vries McClintock: Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA 19038, USA
Paris G. Rangel: Purple Communications, Inc., Austin, TX 78717, USA
Alina M. Jordan: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Fairborn, OH 45324, USA

Disabilities, 2025, vol. 5, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: This study examined the association between formal sex education (FSE), sensory disability status, and contraceptive use among U.S. women. Women with disabilities face barriers to contraceptive decision-making, such as limited accessible FSE content and topics. Data were weighted and analyzed from the 2011–2019 National Survey of Family Growth among women 15–25 years of age. Multivariable logistic regression and moderation analysis examined the association between sensory disability status, contraceptive use during last sexual encounter, and FSE topics. Women with hearing loss or both hearing loss and vision loss were less likely to use contraceptives during last sexual encounter than women without sensory disability (hearing loss: adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.36; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14, 0.96; both: aOR: 0.28; CI: 0.08, 0.91). Exploratory moderation analysis showed women with vision loss who received FSE on birth control methods (aOR: 6.14; 95% CI: 1.70, 22.23) and on sexually transmitted infections (aOR: 28.24; 95% CI: 1.71, 46.63). The estimates were based on small numbers of individuals within each subgroup and wide confidence intervals, and thus should be interpreted with caution. The findings point to differences in contraceptive use according to sensory disability status, indicating future studies need larger sample sizes to better understand the role of FSE for women with sensory disability.

Keywords: sex education; contraceptive use; sensory disability; vision loss; hearing loss (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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