Contraception values and preferences: protocol and methods for a global systematic review

Abstract

Objective: Values and preferences of end users are critical considerations for any health guidelines. We sought to examine the literature about values and preferences for contraceptive methods to inform the World Health Organization (WHO) Medical eligibility criteria (MEC) and Selected practice recommendations (SPR) for contraception use. In this article, we present a detailed protocol and methods for this systematic review.

Study design: We searched 10 electronic databases for articles published in a peer-reviewed journal from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2017. Articles had to present qualitative or quantitative information about patients' and providers' values and preferences for contraceptive methods covered under the MEC and SPR guidelines. There were no language or study location restrictions. Citations were screened in duplicate and included articles underwent data abstraction using standardized forms. Study rigor was assessed using an 8-item measure developed by the Evidence Project for quantitative studies and an adapted CASP checklist for qualitative studies.

Discussion: We defined "values and preferences" broadly and designed our search and data extraction strategies accordingly. While this approach has strengths and limitations, we believe it captures the wide range of values and preferences of contraceptive end users and family planning providers that should be considered by WHO in guideline development. We anticipate findings will be useful to inform future research, programmatic, and policy decisions.

Keywords: Contraception; Family planning; Systematic review protocol; Values and preferences.