Student pharmacist knowledge and attitudes regarding oral emergency contraception.
OBJECTIVE
To describe student pharmacist knowledge and attitudes regarding oral emergency contraceptives (OECs) and identify factors affecting student pharmacists' knowledge of and attitudes toward OECs.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
United States, May through June 2006.


METHODS
Students enrolled in a U.S. school/college of pharmacy with an American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists chapter.


METHODS
33-item electronic survey containing 9 questions evaluating knowledge, 16 questions assessing attitudes, and 8 questions requesting demographic information.


METHODS
Overall scores for the knowledge and attitudes sections were calculated for each student. Statistical analyses were then performed to determine the relationships between knowledge and attitude scores and the different demographic variables.


RESULTS
752 students participated in the survey. On the knowledge portion of the survey, respondents correctly answered a mean of 5.9 of 9 items. Factors affecting total knowledge scores included the student's academic year (P < 0.0001), previous participation in a course that covered contraception (P < 0.0001), and having covered OECs specifically in that course (P = 0.039). The average attitude score was 56.5 (range 20-80). The attitude scores of students with higher knowledge scores were more favorable toward OECs (P = 0.05). Political beliefs and religious affiliation also had a significant effect on total attitude scores (P < 0.0001 for both).


CONCLUSIONS
Personal factors such as religious affiliation and political viewpoints play a considerable role in student pharmacist attitudes toward OECs. However, students who have more knowledge of OECs are more supportive of them and have fewer concerns about their use. Based on these data, inclusion of this topic in pharmacy school curricula is important in helping students to develop fully informed opinions regarding OECs.
Evans
Emily
E
Department of Clinical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana, Monroe, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA. eevans@ulm.edu
Patel
Mallika
M
Stranton
Derek
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists; D013334:Students