title: College students' perceptions of emergency contraception provision.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors examined college students' perceptions regarding emergency contraception (EC) provision in light of the then pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision about the over-the-counter (OTC) status of EC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly sampled 7000 male and female students who were enrolled full-time at the University of Michigan during the winter 2006 semester. A total of 1585 (22.6%) students responded to our web-based survey and were included in these descriptive analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly all (94%) respondents knew of EC. When asked whether EC should be made available OTC, 60% of respondents agreed, 23% disagreed, and 17% were unsure. If EC were to be made available OTC, 34% of respondents indicated that they (or their partner) would purchase EC in advance of need, and 44% stated that they would purchase it only after unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure. Advance discussion and provision of EC is underused. Only 10% of all female respondents indicated that their current healthcare provider had spoken to them about EC in a routine health visit, and just 5% of female respondents were offered a supply of EC in advance of need.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continued efforts are needed to ensure timely access to EC in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0276, USA. amv@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: Anjel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vahratian
authors.forename: Divya A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013333:Student Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs