Use of hormonal contraceptives among immigrant and native women in Norway: data from the Norwegian Prescription Database

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of hormonal contraceptives among immigrant and native women in Norway. DESIGN: Nationwide registry-based study based on merged data from the Norwegian Prescription Database, the Norwegian Population Registry, the Regular General Practitioner Database and the Medical Birth Registry. SETTING: Norway. SAMPLE: All women born abroad to two foreign-born parents (immigrants), or born in Norway to two Norwegian-born parents (natives) aged 16–45 years, who lived in Norway in 2008. METHODS: Data on all collected supplies of hormonal contraceptives in 2008 were merged with demographic, socio-economic and immigration data, information on any delivery and women's general practitioners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: User rates of hormonal contraception and predictors of contraceptive use. RESULTS: A total of 893 073 women were included, of whom 130 080 were immigrants. More native women (38%) used hormonal contraceptives compared with all immigrant groups (15–24%). The odds ratios for any use of hormonal contraceptives for immigrants compared with Norwegian-born women were; Nordic countries 0.53, South and Central America 0.53, Western countries 0.39, Asia 0.30, Eastern Europe 0.29, Africa 0.29. Work, education, long stay in Norway and young age of immigration predicted the use of hormonal contraceptives among immigrants. CONCLUSIONS: The use of hormonal contraceptives varies between natives and immigrant groups. Further work is needed to ascertain whether these differences can be explained by higher desires for fertility, preferential use of non-hormonal contraceptives or other reasons identified through qualitative research.