Increasing the effectiveness of contraceptive usage in university students

Abstract

Prevention of pregnancy requires correct and consistent use of an effective method ofcontraception and knowledge alone is not sufficient to ensure such use, as many complexsocial and behavioral factors influence contraceptive behavior. Women are particularly likelyto change their contraceptive method after a contraceptive 'shock'. In this study, the changein contraceptive behavior of a group of university students who presented for emergencycontraception is studied. Each student participated in a single individualized educationalsession. A total of 465 women requested emergency contraception in a 3.5-year period at alarge student health center. Of these, 24% had not previously used contraception, 50% hadpreviously used condoms and 25% had taken the pill (COC). Of those who usually usedcondoms, 79% had had a condom accident and 21% had not used them at the last intercourse.Only 30% of COC users had had a problem with the pill and the remaining 70% were nottaking it at the time of last intercourse, for social rather than medical reasons. Follow-up isavailable for 309 (66.5%). Paired-sample analysis of these women shows a decrease in thenumber using no contraception (22% to 8%), and an increase in the number using COCs(33% to 66%). These changes reached statistical significance (p < 0.0001). University students,despite their intelligence, exhibit a high degree of risk-taking behavior but become moreeffective contraceptive users after an interactive counselling session following a contraceptivescare.