Knowledge Of Emergency Contraception Research Articles

Emergency contraception: knowledge and use among Danish women requesting termination of pregnancy

The aim of this study was to describe knowledge about and use of emergency contraception (EC) among Danish women requesting termination of pregnancy. The study included 1514 women (response rate 83.7%) referred during the period August 2000 to May 2001. Sufficient knowledge of EC was defined as knowledge about both the correct time limit and where to acquire the EC. We found adequate knowledge in 44.7%. These women were typically younger, better educated and more often singles, nulliparae, and users of contraception. No relation was found to the type of contraception used or to previous terminations of pregnancies. EC was used in the actual pregnancy by 6.6% and 24.1% had used it previously. Actual or formers users were characterized in the same way. The general knowledge about EC has not improved significantly during the last few years and there is still need for information about the correct use of EC.

Teacher-led intervention improved teenagers' knowledge of emergency contraception without altering sexual activity

Teacher-led intervention improved teenagers' knowledge of emergency contraception without altering sexual activity

Knowledge and use of emergency contraception in a tertiary referral unit in a developing country

Knowledge and use of emergency contraception in a tertiary referral unit in a developing country

Emergency Contraception Is Little Known and Rarely Used by South Africans

Despite the availability of emergency contraception (EC) in South African public-sector facilities the levels of EC knowledge among South African women about EC were low. Hence to determine knowledge of and attitudes toward EC researchers conducted a survey of clients and providers in three provinces of western Cape KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng between November 1999 and August 2000. A team of interviewers visited each facility and interviewed at least 10 consecutive clients aged 15-49. The structured questionnaire asked about womens demographic characteristics their sexual history and contraceptive use knowledge about EC and whether they had ever used EC. Overall results show that only about one in four women attending public sector health clinics reported having heard of EC. It is noted that levels of knowledge were even lower in rural areas and among less educated and older women. Nevertheless once EC is explained to the study participants about nine in 10 said they would recommend it to friends and would be willing to pay for EC if they needed to use it.

Improving teenagers' knowledge of emergency contraception: cluster randomised controlled trial of a teacher led intervention

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a teacher led intervention to improve teenagers' knowledge about emergency contraception.Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial.Setting: 24 mixed sex, state secondary schools in Avon, south...

One lesson improves knowledge of emergency contraception

One lesson improves knowledge of emergency contraception

Knowledge and use of emergency contraception in a tertiary referral unit in a developing country

Background: The promotion and availability of emergency contraception have the possibility of reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies, leading to fewer pregnancy terminations and possibly to reduced maternal morbidity and mortality.Methods: The aims of the study were to determine the knowledge and use of emergency contraception in two groups of women: those requesting emergency contraception after sexual misadventure and another group of women requesting termination of pregnancy. A retrospective analysis was performed on all files of patients who requested emergency contraception over a 12-month period. Telephone interviews were conducted 1 year later. Structured questionnaires regarding knowledge and usage of emergency contraception were also administered to patients requesting termination of pregnancy. Results: Seventy-six women requested emergency contraception over the 12-month period. Forty-one (53.9%) did not attend the follow-up visit. Only two patients used condoms. A total of 39 patients were contacted by telephone after 1 year. Of these, 18 did not use any contraception, although five were sexually active. In the group of women who requested termination of pregnancy, 44% had not previously used contraception. In all, 40% did not know about emergency contraception, 36% had not used it previously and 24% had used it previously. Conclusions: Lack of knowledge concerning emergency contraception can contribute to the number of legal abortions requested. There is an urgent need to address current education for users and providers on the use of emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception in South Africa: knowledge, attitudes, and use among public sector primary healthcare clients

To determine knowledge of, attitudes toward, and use of emergency contraception (EC), interviews were held with 1068 clients of 89 public sector primary healthcare facilities in two urban and two rural areas of South Africa. Only 22.8% of the clients had heard of EC. Awareness was significantly lower in the most rural area and among older, less educated women. Knowledge of EC was superficial, with 47.1% unsure of the appropriate interval between unprotected intercourse and starting EC and 56.6% not knowing whether it was available at the clinic. Few (9.1%) of those who knew of EC had used it. After explaining EC, attitudes toward its use were found to be positive, with 90.3% indicating that they would use it if needed. Awareness was lower than in developed countries, but higher than in other developing countries. Findings indicate that if women know of EC, where to get it, and how soon to take it, they would use it if needed.

Contraception and men attending a genitourinary medicine clinic

AimsTo identify men's knowledge and attitude to contraception and to determine whether there are differences in those men who have previous experience of termination of pregnancy (TOP) compared to those...

Connaissances sur la pilule du lendemain des étudiants et des femmes de 20 à 45 ans dans la région du Bas-Saint-Laurent, au Québec

Purpose: This study assessed levels of knowledge of the emergency contraceptive pill among adolescents and women from Bas-Saint-Laurent, Quebec.Methods: This prospective descriptive study surveyed 145 boys and 265 girls attending secondary school (levels 3, 4, and 5), college, university or professional school with a self-administered questionnaire on their knowledge of emergency contraception. Random sampling was carried out by clusters among the various groups. A telephone survey was carried out in an adult population of 430 women from the same region, using a similar sampling design.Results: Most of the participants knew about the existence of the emergency contraceptive pill: 98.5 percent in girls, 90.3 percent in boys, and 96.5 percent in adult women. Nevertheless, their level of knowledge was limited: only 37.5 percent of girls, 19.1 percent of boys, and 16.4 percent of adult women knew that it could be used up to three days after unprotected sexual intercourse.Conclusion: These findings suggest that health promotion programs should focus not only on awareness of the existence of emergency contraception, but also on the appropriate context and timeframe for its use, so as to make emergency contraception more accessible to women of reproductive age.

Knowledge of emergency contraception among pharmacists and doctors in Durban, South Africa

Knowledge of emergency contraception among pharmacists and doctors in Durban, South Africa

Knowledge of emergency contraception among pharmacists and doctors in Durban, South Africa

Objective: To determine the level of knowledge of emergency contraception among private-sector pharmacists and doctors.Method: This hand-delivered, confidential questionnaire survey wasundertaken in North and South Central Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. The main outcome measures were frequency of demand for emergency contraception and knowledge of its dosing schedule, side-effectsand contraindications.Results: Ninety-six per cent of pharmacists and 93% of doctors had received requests for emergency contraceptive pills within the past year. Thirty-two per cent of pharmacistsand 28% of doctors prescribed the Yuzpe regimen correctly. Only 23 (27%) doctors and 25 (22%) pharmacists were able to identify three common side-effects associated with emergency contraceptive pills. Forty-sixper cent of pharmacists and 49% of doctors correctly indicated that there are no absolute contraindications to emergency contraceptive pills other than a contraindication to contraceptive pills. Fifty-fourper cent of pharmacists and 35% of doctors agreed that the multiple use of emergency contraceptive pills is risky.Conclusion: There is an urgent need to improve the knowledge of health-careworkers regarding emergency contraception, which forms an important back-up method when existing contraception fails or is not used.

Emergency Contraception Knowledge and Prescribing Practices: A Comparison of Primary Care Residents at a Teaching Hospital

Study Objective: To determine knowledge, opinion, and experience concerning emergency postcoital contraception in primary care physicians who are in training. Design: Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire survey distributed to primary care specialty housestaff. Setting: Questionnaire surveys were distributed to all active primary care housestaff in training and Obstetrics and Gynecology attendings at the University of Kentucky. Participants: The study surveyed all primary care specialty housestaff. Specialties included family practice (FP), internal medicine (IM), pediatrics (PD), and obstetrics and gynecology (OG). The attending faculty in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OGA) were also surveyed as a comparison group. Main Outcome Measures: Study variables were compared between specialty of training, year of training, and abortion opinion. ANOVA or Student's t tests were used, with statistical significance defined as P < .05. Each questionnaire was scored 0 to 9 based on knowledge and utilization questions. Overall response rate was 48%, 90 out of 189 surveyed. Response rates per specialty are as follows: FP = 51%, IM = 37%, PD = 48%, OG = 65%, and OGA = 69%. Results: The average score on the survey was significantly different based on specialty of training ( P value < .0001). Scores were not significantly different based on year of training. However, the average attending OG's score was significantly higher than for all the housestaff ( P value < .0001). Conclusion: Knowledge and utilization of postcoital contraception is dependent on specialty. Unfortunately, this knowledge does not appear to increase with year of training, suggesting that there is a lack of education during the years of training.

Differences between users and non-users of emergency contraception after a recognized unprotected intercourse

Knowledge of emergency contraception is crucial but might not transform into use. Factors influencing decision-making related to use of emergency contraception after an unprotected intercourse and the characteristics of users of emergency contraception (EC) were assessed. In an abortion clinic setting, 217 women referred for termination of pregnancy were asked to fill in a questionnaire. Of the 217 women, 139 (64%) were aware of pregnancy risk but only 9 (4%) had used EC after the unprotected intercourse. 42% were estimated to have sufficient knowledge to use hormonal emergency contraception. In a larger background population, a calculated 29% used EC after a recognized unprotected intercourse. EC users were older, better educated, more often in stable relationships, had experienced more abortions, and gestation age was less. However, younger women were in general better informed of EC. Knowledge of EC does not necessarily transform into action. Neglect of risk after an unprotected intercourse is frequent in younger well-informed women and information has to be better targeted.

Knowledge and willingness to use emergency contraception among low-income post-partum women

We performed a multivariate analysis to determine factors associated with knowledge and willingness to use emergency contraception in a consecutive sample of 371 post-partum women from an inner-city public hospital. Women were queried about previous contraceptive use, pregnancy history including abortions and unplanned pregnancies, and demographic characteristics. Outcomes included knowledge of emergency contraception and willingness to use it. Questionnaires were conducted in person, in English or Spanish. Of 371 women, 3% had used emergency contraception, 36% had heard of it, and 7% knew the correct timing for use. Two-thirds of the population indicated a willingness to use emergency contraception in the future. Factors positively associated with knowledge included being a teenager or more than 30 years old, prior use of condoms, and history of an elective abortion. Being multiparous, monolingual Spanish-speaking, or Asian were negatively associated with knowledge. Willingness to use emergency contraception was positively associated with being multiparous and negatively associated with a higher income, moral or religious objections to the use of emergency contraception, a belief that it is unsafe or a perception that it is an abortificient. Knowledge about emergency contraception, especially correct timing, remains low. Multiparous women should receive increased education given their lack of knowledge but willingness to use emergency contraception. In order to increase the acceptability of emergency contraception, educational efforts must include accurate information about its mechanism of use and safety.

Knowledge and Use of Emergency Postcoital Contraception by Female Students at a High School in Nova Scotia

This study was performed in the context of a sexual health promotion project in a Nova Scotia community. Community members wanted information about adolescent females' knowledge and use of emergency contraception (EC). The study was done to meet this need.Female high school students aged 14 to 19 were administered a self-completion survey asking about their knowledge of EC, the time frame for its use, its effectiveness, their personal use of EC, unsuccessful attempts to obtain EC, and sources of knowledge of EC.Eighty-five percent of 411 female students participated. Eighty percent knew about EC, though few (8%) knew the time frame for EC use. Most (42%) heard of EC at school. Eighteen percent used no contraception at last intercourse. Only 2% ever had used EC.Adolescent women know about EC but use it infrequently, even though they frequently lack contraception. These findings raise questions about alternative methods for providing EC to young women.

Knowledge and use of emergency postcoital contraception by female students at a high school in Nova Scotia.

This study was performed in the context of a sexual health promotion project in a Nova Scotia community. Community members wanted information about adolescent females' knowledge and use of emergency contraception (EC). The study was done to meet this need. Female high school students aged 14 to 19 were administered a self-completion survey asking about their knowledge of EC, the time frame for its use, its effectiveness, their personal use of EC, unsuccessful attempts to obtain EC, and sources of knowledge of EC. Eighty-five percent of 411 female students participated. Eighty percent knew about EC, though few (8%) knew the time frame for EC use. Most (42%) heard of EC at school. Eighteen percent used no contraception at last intercourse. Only 2% ever had used EC. Adolescent women know about EC but use it infrequently, even though they frequently lack contraception. These findings raise questions about alternative methods for providing EC to young women.

Provider knowledge about emergency contraception in Ghana.

In 1996, the Ministry of Health in Ghana included emergency contraception (EC) in its newly issued National Reproductive Health Service Policy and Standards. A short survey was conducted in the summer of 1997 to evaluate health providers' knowledge of EC. Of the 325 providers interviewed, about one-third (34%) had heard of EC. No provider had sufficient knowledge to prescribe EC correctly. A well-coordinated training programme for providers will have to precede successful introduction of EC in Ghana. Moreover, a dedicated product may be critical for the successful introduction of EC in a country like Ghana, where provider knowledge is low.

Emergency contraception: an anomalous position in the family planning repertoire?

Emergency contraception (EC) can be used up to 72 h after sex to prevent pregnancy. Internationally there is wide variation in the availability of EC. In the USA it has only recently (1997) won approval from the FDA, while the UK and New Zealand have seen calls for over the counter availability. In recent years surveys, editorials and opinion pieces in medical journals have pointed out that increased access to EC could help to tackle the unwanted pregnancy rate, especially among teenagers, and concluded that lack of knowledge of EC is the major barrier to use. However, women in a UK study have expressed concerns that it is not safe to use the method repeatedly and cited general practitioners (GPs) as one of the sources of this belief, which contradicts the professional guidelines and the rationale for de-regulation. A subsequent study sought to seek the views of GPs about prescribing EC and explored reasons for the gap between the views of women using UK family planning services, GPs and professionals at the public policy level. Data from two studies are presented. In the first study, 53 women seeking emergency contraception were interviewed at two family planning clinics. In the second, semi-structured telephone interviews were completed with a random sample of 76 GPs from three English health authorities. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematic analysis was conducted using the constant comparative method. EC was rarely described, by users or GPs, as an acceptable contraceptive option. Consultations for emergency contraception were viewed by GPs as an important opportunity to discuss the woman's future contraceptive needs. Repeated use of EC was not encouraged and a discussion of contraceptive needs could range from a mild enquiry to quite forceful messages contrasting EC to ‘regular’ and ‘proper’ methods. The medical literature suggests that EC is underused because of a lack of awareness. Commentators have recommended educating health professionals and women about EC and increasing availability through de-regulation. The data presented in this paper show that British GPs are not enthusiastic about the de-regulation of EC, but the reasons are complex and related to concerns about planned contraception and sexual behaviour. It is suggested that it may be because EC is used after sex that it seems to occupy an uncomfortable place within the contraceptive repertoire.

Knowledge and practice of emergency contraception among Nigerian youths

The knowledge and use of regular or emergency contraceptives (ECs) among Nigerian youths were assessed by a survey conducted among students with previous clandestine abortions in five higher institutions in Southwest Nigeria. 1000 questionnaires were distributed with a response rate of 75.8%. Analysis was made of the records of 166 respondents with previous clandestine abortions. Sexual intercourse was first experienced at a mean age of 15.7 +or- 3.6 years (range 11-24 years) while the mean number of induced abortions was 2.2 +or- 1.8 (range 1-14). Although most of the respondents were aware of the concept of EC only 30.1% knew about emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) and 10.2% knew about the IUD. The percentage of those knowledgeable about ECPs and the IUD was highest among student nurse/midwives students in 26-30 years age group single respondents and Protestants. These results suggest that awareness and use of ECPs and the IUD by the respondents are inadequate but could be improved through readily available information.