Developing a Reproductive Health Care Decision Aid For Women Ages 18-25 and Their Medical Providers

Making a decision about reproductive health care is complicated for anyone. But for young women ages 18-25 that are making healthcare decisions on their own for the first time without another adult, it can be especially difficult. However, through improved communication with medical providers there are ways to empower these patients in the medical decision-making process. This research is the first stage in a multi-phase process to identify an effective communication strategy to facilitate more productive discussions between young women and medical providers. Improving access to information in ways that better fit the lifestyles of young women impacts their healthcare communication. Through better communication, it is expected that young women will make better-informed choices. In addition to identifying the information needs of young women, this research will also examine the information needs of medical providers, thereby satisfying the needs of both constituent groups.