Wilder V, Bromfield G, deFiebre G, and Prine, L.

Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved May 2014; Volume 25, Number 2, 451-459

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24858860

Abstract:

As providers who work in Harlem, caring for many women of reproductive age, we have been troubled by the difficulties we see in our patients’ efforts to succeed in using contraception. This brought us to think about Sankofa—the West African (Akan) symbol representing the importance of examining the lessons of our past in order to reach the full potential of our future. To eliminate health disparities in reproductive health, we must work to understand their history. In this article, we aim to investigate the social, economic, and cultural influences that affect contraceptive care, and our role as providers in helping patients overcome barriers. The cases described provide a glimpse into two patients’ lives and the varying influences on their contraception choices.