Emergency contraception knowledge after a community education campaign.
BACKGROUND
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a community education campaign in the Boston community of Jamaica Plain conducted by the Massachusetts Emergency Contraception (EC) Network aimed at improving public knowledge of EC.


METHODS
Pre- and postintervention surveys of reproductive-age women were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the community education campaign. Knowledge of EC was compared before and after the intervention using surveys of community-based samples of women.


RESULTS
One hundred eighty-eight and 290 women participated in the preintervention and postintervention surveys, respectively. Following the intervention, women were significantly more likely to have heard of EC (91% vs. 82%, p=.007), know the mechanism of action of EC (49% vs. 39%, p=.04), have discussed EC with a health care provider (38% vs. 25%, p=.003) and have received an advance prescription for EC (22% vs. 12%, p=.004), as well as were more likely to use EC in the future if needed (79% vs. 63%, p=.0002).


CONCLUSIONS
This grassroots-based community education campaign on EC was effective in improving EC knowledge in this Boston community.
Gee
Rebekah E
RE
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. rebe@mail.med.upenn.edu
Delli-Bovi
Laurent C
LC
Chuang
Cynthia H
CH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans
D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital