What are the contraception access experiences of newcomer youth in Canada? Results of a qualitative investigation
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 2Youth Partner, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 3Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- 4Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Abstract
Objectives: Despite contraception care being recognised as a basic human right, it remains out of reach for many youth in Canada. Our knowledge of youth experiences of contraception, particularly newcomer youth, who may encounter additional challenges, is limited. The ‘Ask Us’ study aims to address this gap by identifying the contraception access, experiences, beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and needs of youth in Canada. This paper presents our analysis of 48 interviews with newcomer youth who participated in the ‘Ask Us’ study.
Design: A qualitative study guided by constructivist grounded theory.
Setting: National, Canada.
Participants: We conducted one-to-one qualitative interviews with youth aged 15 to 25 years residing in Canada. We defined newcomer youth as individuals who were born outside Canada or have a foreign-born parent. Our study involved youth research assistants who recruited participants and conducted and analysed interviews with youth.
Results: Our analysis identified that newcomer youth’s views towards contraception are influenced by abstinence-based early education and parents’ attitudes towards premarital sex. Their attitudes may shift over time with access to new information and encounters with peers from diverse backgrounds. However, the perceived judgement and shame associated with contraception use persist despite this shift and lead to newcomer youth seeking contraception options that require minimal interactions with healthcare providers. Learning from the lived experiences of peers helps newcomer youth assess the suitability of a contraception method. Newcomer youth trust peer learning and conducted self-directed research to validate their learning.
Conclusions: There is a need for resources that will provide newcomer youth with information about what it is like to obtain and use a particular contraception method and support their self-directed research on contraceptive options. Knowledge translation interventions may address the information gaps that we identified and empower newcomer youth to choose contraception methods that best fit their needs.
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BibTeX
@article{khan2026what,
title = {{What are the contraception access experiences of newcomer youth in Canada? Results of a qualitative investigation}},
author = {Zeba Khan and Hajar Seiyad and Kaiya Jacob and Ayla Arhinson and Bimbola Olure and Victoria Paller and Aleyah Williams and Salima Meherali and Madeleine Ennis and Sarah Munro},
journal = {BMJ Open},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108350},
url = {https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108350},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - What are the contraception access experiences of newcomer youth in Canada? Results of a qualitative investigation
AU - Zeba Khan
AU - Hajar Seiyad
AU - Kaiya Jacob
AU - Ayla Arhinson
AU - Bimbola Olure
AU - Victoria Paller
AU - Aleyah Williams
AU - Salima Meherali
AU - Madeleine Ennis
AU - Sarah Munro
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - BMJ Open
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108350
UR - https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108350
AB - Objectives: Despite contraception care being recognised as a basic human right, it remains out of reach for many youth in Canada. Our knowledge of youth experiences of contraception, particularly newcomer youth, who may encounter additional challenges, is limited. The ‘Ask Us’ study aims to address this gap by identifying the contraception access, experiences, beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and needs of youth in Canada. This paper presents our analysis of 48 interviews with newcomer youth who participated in the ‘Ask Us’ study. Design: A qualitative study guided by constructivist grounded theory. Setting: National, Canada. Participants: We conducted one-to-one qualitative interviews with youth aged 15 to 25 years residing in Canada. We defined newcomer youth as individuals who were born outside Canada or have a foreign-born parent. Our study involved youth research assistants who recruited participants and conducted and analysed interviews with youth. Results: Our analysis identified that newcomer youth’s views towards contraception are influenced by abstinence-based early education and parents’ attitudes towards premarital sex. Their attitudes may shift over time with access to new information and encounters with peers from diverse backgrounds. However, the perceived judgement and shame associated with contraception use persist despite this shift and lead to newcomer youth seeking contraception options that require minimal interactions with healthcare providers. Learning from the lived experiences of peers helps newcomer youth assess the suitability of a contraception method. Newcomer youth trust peer learning and conducted self-directed research to validate their learning. Conclusions: There is a need for resources that will provide newcomer youth with information about what it is like to obtain and use a particular contraception method and support their self-directed research on contraceptive options. Knowledge translation interventions may address the information gaps that we identified and empower newcomer youth to choose contraception methods that best fit their needs.
SN - 2044-6055
SN - 2044-6055
ER -