The North Carolina DIAL EC project: increasing access to emergency contraceptive pills by telephone.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a telephone prescription service designed to increase access to emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) in North Carolina.


METHODS
Women who wanted ECPs called a toll-free number and were screened over the telephone. Prescriptions were faxed to pharmacies chosen by callers.


RESULTS
In 29 months, the service issued 9745 prescriptions to 7774 callers. Forty percent of callers were teens. Only 16% of callers received more than one prescription. Most callers heard about the service through referrals from Planned Parenthood staff and word-of-mouth.


CONCLUSIONS
This service was successful in providing prompt access to ECPs to women throughout the state. Frequent use of the service by individual women was uncommon. Callers preferred to obtain ECPs from local pharmacies rather than from Planned Parenthood health centers, despite generally higher prices at pharmacies.
Raymond
Elizabeth G
EG
Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27515, USA. eraymond@fhi.org
Spruyt
Alan
A
Bley
Karen
K
Colm
Janet
J
Gross
Shaina
S
Robbins
Leigh Ann
LA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013689:Telephone
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital