BELIEFS ABOUT NORPLANT(R) IMPLANTS AMONG LOW-INCOME URBAN WOMEN

This study documents the counseling experiences and beliefs about Norp lant(R) implants that are held by an ethnically diverse sample of low income clinic patients in the United States. Virtually all implant acc epters, but only about half of those choosing other contraceptives, re ceive information about the Norplant system during clinic-based counse ling. Exposure to group counseling and to a film regarding Norplant im plants are associated with high levels of knowledge among acceptors. S everal important patterns emerge in comparing the beliefs of patients choosing the Norplant system with those of patients choosing other met hods of birth control. Substantial proportions of the latter group adh ere to several inaccurate beliefs about the method, associating its us e with: long-term health problems, problems for future babies, future fertility problems, infection, and high cost. These outcomes in partic ular, as well as several others described, should be systematically ad dressed and reviewed in contraceptive counseling.