A qualitative study of young women aged 17 to 23 living in regional, rural and remote New South Wales, Australia, has mapped for the first time how this group chooses and continues contraception. Published open access in the journal Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, the research by Harriet Sandison, Larisa Barnes and Megan Passey involved eighteen semi-structured online interviews, one participant each, analysed using reflexive thematic analysis with the Health Belief Model as a framework.
The decision to start contraception typically followed what the researchers describe as a health threat: risk of an unintended pregnancy, a menstrual cycle disorder, sexually transmitted infections or acne. Once a trigger had prompted action, the choice of method was shaped by familiarity with and knowledge of contraceptives, access to healthcare providers, relationship status, affordability, self-efficacy and non-contraceptive benefits such as relief from period problems or skin concerns.
Decision-making did not happen in isolation. The interviews showed it was influenced by medical advice, by the experiences of peers and family members, and particularly by content on social media. As personal circumstances changed, so too could contraceptive choice, and the authors emphasise the importance of re-evaluating health needs over time rather than treating a method chosen in adolescence as fixed.
The study also identified challenges specific to rural settings. Limited access to providers, confidentiality concerns in close-knit communities where a young woman may be recognised at a local clinic, and logistical and financial barriers all weighed on choices. These pressures contributed to a reliance on self-managed methods, and decisions were often swayed by external opinions, most notably those circulating on social media platforms.
As a response, the authors suggest that increasing access to telehealth, improving local service information and providing trustworthy online resources may support more informed contraceptive use among rural young women. They also flag directions for further research, including how rurality shapes contraceptive attitudes especially after an unintended pregnancy, the decline in hormonal contraceptive use, and disparities in sexual health education, to inform more equitable health strategies.
Subject of Research: How young women in regional, rural and remote New South Wales choose and continue contraception
Article Title: Assessing contraceptive choices and decision-making in young women in regional, rural and remote New South Wales, Australia
Article References: Sandison, H., Barnes, L., & Passey, M. (2026). Assessing contraceptive choices and decision-making in young women in regional, rural and remote New South Wales, Australia. Contraception and Reproductive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-026-00483-7
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s40834-026-00483-7
Keywords: contraception, rural health, New South Wales, young women, qualitative research, Health Belief Model, social media, telehealth, reproductive health, unintended pregnancy, Assessing, contraceptive
News Source: Ophelia Keating. (October 28, 2026). Young Rural Women’s Contraception Choices Shaped by Social Media and Access Barriers. Scienmag.
