Contraceptive Knowledge and Related Factors Among Male and Female U.S. Veterans of Reproductive Age

Objectives

This study aimed to examine associations of contraceptive knowledge among U.S. veterans of reproductive age, focusing on differences by sex, education, healthcare use, and primary source of contraceptive information. This study extends prior research by identifying factors associated with contraceptive knowledge in both males and female veterans.

Study Design

We analyzed data from a nationally representative 2025 survey of U.S. veterans aged 18–49 (n = 542). The survey included validated measures of contraceptive knowledge, healthcare use, and information sources. Survey-weighted linear regression models assessed associations between demographic factors, healthcare engagement, and knowledge scores, estimated overall and stratified by sex, adjusting for education.

Results

Male veterans scored significantly lower on contraceptive knowledge than female veterans (β = −2.83, p < 0.001, 95% CI [-4.14, −1.64]). Higher educational attainment was associated with greater knowledge (β = 1.6–2.8, p < 0.05, 95% CI [1.23, 4.37]). Any healthcare use in the past 12 months was associated with higher contraceptive knowledge, though this effect was only significant among males (β = 1.15, p = 0.04, 95% CI [0.04, 2.25]). Females who relied on the internet, social media, books/magazines, and personal contacts as their main source of contraceptive knowledge had lower knowledge scores (β = −4.8, p < 0.001, 95% CI [-7.01, −2.58]) than those who relied on healthcare providers.

Conclusions

While sex and education are important predictors of contraceptive knowledge, these findings indicate that higher health care engagement and reliance on providers as trusted sources of contraceptive information could improve contraceptive knowledge among veterans of reproductive age.

Implications

Findings from this analysis highlight the need to build and strengthen contraceptive counseling, including counseling considerations for men. Enhancing routine, informed conversations about contraception could help close critical knowledge gaps in knowledge and promote equitable reproductive health decision-making among veterans.