Counseling about and use of emergency contraception in the United States.
BACKGROUND
Few nationally representative studies have examined the prevalence and predictors of emergency contraception use or of receipt of counseling about the method. The impact of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 2006 approval of behind-the-counter sales of the method to women aged 18 and older remains to be seen; therefore, understanding patterns of use and counseling before the 2006 policy change is necessary to assess its impact.


METHODS
Data collected from 7,643 women aged 15-44 participating in the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to assess predictors of receipt of counseling and use of emergency contraception.


RESULTS
Overall, 3% of women reported that a clinician had discussed emergency contraception with them in the past year, and 4% of those who had ever had sex with a man reported having used the method. Only 4% of those who had seen a gynecologist in the past year reported having received counseling. Women's likelihood of having received counseling was reduced if they were 30 or older (odds ratio, 0.2), and was elevated if they were Hispanic (4.1), black (2.6) or ever-married (2.4). Receipt of counseling in the last 12 months was the strongest predictor of ever-use (11.7).


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians can play a pivotal role in ensuring that women have accurate information about how to access and use emergency contraception. However, efforts are needed to explore other ways to deliver this counseling.
Kavanaugh
Megan L
ML
Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, USA. mlc27@pitt.edu
Schwarz
Eleanor Bimla
EB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D003376:Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health
D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital