Seizing the Means of Contraception - Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Seizing the Means of Contraception: The Politics and Practices of Contraception in a Pandemic
IRAS ID
312616
Contact name
Nicole Vitellone
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 13 days
Research summary
The overarching and urgent question that the research will address is: How does experimental knowledge making by young women, and all that entails, change contraception? In light of the pandemic of COVID-19, this research will examine the ways in which a pandemic disrupts and complicates access and practices of contraception and sexual health services. \n\nExperimental knowledge making, is a term which refers to the way that laypersons can create knowledge through their own lived experiences. This concept is based on the works of standpoint epistemology (Smith, 1974; Harding, 2004; Haraway, 1988). \nThis theory emphasises the importance and value of building knowledge through your own lived, experiential knowledge practices in everyday contexts. This research is therefore looking to explore the way in which contraceptive users experiment via the use of various contraceptive technologies and thus create knowledge.\n\n\nThis research is of importance to patients and public as it will examine the ways in which the pandemic of COVID 19 has impacted the way that people access contraception and sexual health services, highlighting those people whose access has been restricted as a result of the pandemic. It will also suggest ways in which this access can be improved in the future.\n\nThe area being studied in this research is contraception, with wider exploration of access to sexual health services, during a pandemic.\n\nThis research involves two different groups of participants: contraceptive users, and contraceptive professionals.\n\nThe contraceptive users will firstly complete a survey online, which will take under 5 minutes. This will be followed by an interview which will take place remotely, and will take no longer than 1 hour.\n\nThe contraceptive professionals will be asked to take part in an interview which will also take place remotely and take no longer than 1 hour.\n\nIn addition to the surveys and interviews, a social media analysis will be conducted, firstly by observing existing social media pages about contraceptive and sexual health, followed by the development of social media pages for this research which will post informational posts about contraception, working to encourage conversation in the comment section of posts.
REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SC/0192
Date of REC Opinion
6 Jul 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion