The study under analysis examines the increased risk of infection with chlamydia and gonorrhea associated with using Depo Provera contraceptives. The research included 819 women between the ages of 15 and 45 who were provided birth control at two Planned Parenthood clinics in the Baltimore region (Rubin, 2004, para. 5). About three-quarters of the women were unmarried, while one-quarter were married. It is suggested that the women had previously used birth control, but they were divided into groups based on the sort of birth control they selected. As a result, 354 women picked the pill, 114 chose Depo Provera, and 351 used non-hormonal contraception (Rubin, 2004, para. 4). However, there is no information on the number of partners each subject had.
Furthermore, the independent variables in this research are the type of contraceptive employed by the women (Depo Provera, oral contraceptives, or non-hormonal contraceptives). The dependent variable is the risk of infection with chlamydia and gonorrhea. This research is correlative because the study is observing and studying the relationship between the type of contraceptive used and the risk of infection (Rubin, 2004). Nevertheless, there is no control group present or no information about the use of such by the investigators.
As a result of the research, numerous findings have been drawn. It was established that using the contraceptive Depo Provera appeared to triple women’s risk of chlamydia and gonorrhea acquisition (Rubin, 2004). Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that oral contraceptives and Depo Provera increase the chance of developing certain sexually transmitted illnesses, however, the results for pill users were not statistically meaningful. As a result, since the study is based on observable facts and derives a general conclusion from the results, it is an example of inductive reasoning. Yet, various interpretations of the data might lead to different results, such as using condoms in conjunction with hormonal contraception may reduce the chance of infection.
In the study discussed in the article, the sample group is composed of women from two Planned Parenthood clinics, which may not be representative of the general population of women using contraceptives. Additionally, the researchers did not randomly assign the women to contraceptive methods, which could lead to confounding variables such as the characteristics of the women who chose to use Depo Provera. The study’s authors acknowledge this limitation but suggest that it is unlikely that differences among the women led to the findings (Rubin, 2004). Nevertheless, it is still difficult to speculate on what could have been done the other way in the research presented in this article without more information about the methodology employed. More research on this topic could potentially be conducted as an experiment. A randomized controlled study would offer a more exact estimate of the effect of Depo Provera on the likelihood of chlamydia and gonorrhea infection, as well as the odds ratios of Depo Provera against all the other methods of birth control. However, due to ethical concerns, such an experiment may be impossible.
The article’s author about the research is Rita Rubin, a journalist who interprets the scientific method. Potential problems with the way the material is presented in the newspaper article include the need for more detail regarding the study methodology and results, as well as the potential for misinterpretation of the study findings due to the lack of information about the sample size and other factors. Additionally, the article does not provide information about any alternative explanations or perspectives that could affect the interpretation of the results.
In conclusion, the data reviewed in this article shows that using the contraceptive Depo Provera increases women’s chance of contracting chlamydia and gonorrhea. However, due to a lack of clarity regarding the study methods and outcomes and the possibility of misunderstanding the study conclusions, more research on this issue might be undertaken as an experiment. A randomized controlled trial would provide a more precise assessment of Depo Provera’s influence on the probability of chlamydia and gonorrhea development.
Reference
Rubin, R. (2004). Contraceptive is linked to high STD risk. USA Today. Web.