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.


METHODS
This hand-delivered, confidential questionnaire survey was undertaken 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-effects and 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 pharmacists and 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-six per 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-four per cent of pharmacists and 35% of doctors agreed that the multiple use of emergency contraceptive pills is risky.


CONCLUSIONS
There is an urgent need to improve the knowledge of health-care workers regarding emergency contraception, which forms an important back-up method when existing contraception fails or is not used.
Hariparsad
N
N
School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Durban-Westville, South Africa.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003283:Contraceptives, Postcoital, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000075202:Contraindications; D004630:Emergencies; D019304:Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010595:Pharmacists; D010820:Physicians; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D003283:Contraceptives, Postcoital, Synthetic; D019304:Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination