Contraceptive Practices of Women Living with HIV in Guyana: A Mixed Methods Study

Angelique Wilson-Parkinson¹, Maritza Oliva Perez²* and Beverley Wilson³

¹Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Guyana
²Lecturer in Biostatistics and Epidemiology Coordinator MPH Programme, School of Medicine, University of Guyana, Guyana
³University of West Indies Open Campus, Barbados

*Corresponding Author: Maritza Oliva Perez, Lecturer in Biostatistics and Epidemiology Coordinator MPH Programme, School of Medicine, University of Guyana, Guyana.

Received: September 30, 2025; Published: November 06, 2025

Abstract

An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed to assess the determinants of contraceptive use among women living with HIV in Guyana. A convenience sample of 196 women living with HIV, aged 16–49 years, were surveyed. In the qualitative phase, two focus groups were conducted with purposively selected participants from the survey—one comprising contraceptive users and the other non-users. Quantitative data were analyzed in SPSS version 21 using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests identified factors associated with contraceptive use, with significance set at p < 0.05. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Overall, 47% of women reported using a contraceptive method. The male condom (44%) and hormonal implant (24%) were most frequently used. Among non-users, fear of side effects and lack of information were the main reasons cited. Significant factors associated with contraceptive use included having three or more children and receiving family planning information from a health care provider at the HIV clinic. The qualitative findings highlighted that fear of side effects was a shared concern among both users and non-users. Motivations to use contraceptives included lack of financial support, fear of transmitting HIV to a child, and receiving counseling on family planning. Conversely, perceived judgmental attitudes of health care workers were reported as barriers among non-users. Only 47% of women were using contraception, reflecting low utilization. Strengthening the integration of family planning into HIV care services is essential, as contraceptive use represents a key strategy for reducing vertical HIV transmission.

 Keywords: Contraceptives; Family Planning; Women Living with HIV

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Citation

Citation: Maritza Oliva Perez., et al. “Contraceptive Practices of Women Living with HIV in Guyana: A Mixed Methods Study”.Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 9.12 (2025): 04-14.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Maritza Oliva Perez., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.