Development of a multidimensional contraceptive attributes questionnaire.

The Contraceptive Attributes Questionnaire designed to elicit ratings of importance and agreement has significant research and practical potential. It can be used in research studies to obtain measures of the subjective importance of the characteristics of contraceptives and perceptions about specific methods. On the applied level the instrument can be used by family planning providers to match acceptors with the method that is likely to be most acceptable. This questionnaire is based on a model of contraceptive decision making that conceptualizes the choice of a specific method as a function of value importance and likelihood. Respondents are 1st asked to rate (on a 5- point scale) the importance of each of the 18 characteristics of contraceptive methods and then to indicate whether they agree or disagree (again on a 5-point scale) that each of the above attributes characterizes a particular birth control method. The Contraceptive Attributes Questionnaire was administered to 1187 US women but focused only on the vaginal sponge diaphragm and pill. For all 3 contraceptive methods assessed factors related to convenience emerged as most important (accounting for 32% of the variance) followed by items related to the absence of minor side effects and major health problems. Vaginal method convenience (does not have to be fitted by a professional is easy to get in and can be obtained without seeing a doctor does not have to be washed and stored and does not require reapplication of a spermicide) showed highest agreement loadings for the sponge and diaphragm. Tests of validity indicated that women view their own method more favorably than do users of other methods.