Why do university students use hormonal emergency contraception?
OBJECTIVE
To establish why university students in Finland, who have easy access to well-affordable health services, still use hormonal emergency contraception.


METHODS
All students who sought emergency contraception in the Tampere Student Health Station during the period from 1 September 2000 to 31 December 2001 received a questionnaire on their use of it. Of the total, 114 (67%) were returned.


RESULTS
Two-thirds of respondents experienced condom failure, and the remainder used no contraception. In open answers, respondents gave many explanations as to why they had used no contraception, e.g. having been over-passionate or drunk.


CONCLUSIONS
Finnish students use emergency contraception, but to no great extent. Our results indicate that service providers should pay attention to sexual health in the full sense but not omit to give detailed advice on condom use during counselling.
Virjo
I
I
Medical School, Department of General Practice, University of Tampere, Finland.
Virtala
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003282:Contraceptives, Postcoital, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003282:Contraceptives, Postcoital, Hormonal