Austria is placed in the second-best performing scale of the 2020 Contraception Atlas, scoring 62.2%. With a population of 9 million, Austria hides a big performance discrepancy; the public health portal, supported by the Ministry for Health, provides comprehensive information on modern contraception, placing the country among the best in the Atlas in terms of availability of online information (97.1). However, Austria scores below 50 when it comes to supplies and counselling due to lack of reimbursement (43.1). Further, access to counselling is not equal across the country; while it is free and anonymous in family planning centres of Vienna’s public hospitals, outside the capital women have to turn to their doctors to get information. The modern contraceptive prevalence rate is 62%, very close to the general contraceptive prevalence rate (64%).
Recommendations:
- Austria's government needs to ensure that all women of reproductive age enjoy reimbursement for contraceptive supplies. Reimbursement schemes for specific population groups should be created, such as adolescents and vulnerable groups in order to remove financial barriers in access to supplies.
- Access to contraception and family planning services should be ensured free of charge throughout the country. Access to counselling should be ensured in rural areas.
- Since Austrian online information on contraception is accurate and comprehensive, authorities should make sure that vulnerable groups have access to this info.
Breakdown by Criteria
Policies related to supplies and counselling
- Reimbursement
❌Reimbursement within the national health system
❌Special reimbursement for adolescents (until 19)
❌Special Reimbursement for vulnerable groups (unemployed/low income)
- Counselling
❌Available, accessible, and affordable consultation
✔️No need for third-party consent
✔️Legal status (marital, citizenship) is not a barrier
- Prescription requirements
✔️Availability of emergency contraception without prescription
❌Availability of self-administered hormonal contraception without prescription
Availability of online information
- Type of online information
Website provided by government suppported integrated website
✔️Number of contraceptives - excellent
✔️Info on costs of contraceptives
✔️Info on where to get contraceptives
- User friendliness
✔️Regional or minority language included
✔️Web design
✔️Discoverability of the website
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