[Knowledge and attitudes about using emergency contraceptives among young college students].
OBJECTIVE
to identify the knowledge and attitudes regarding the use of emergency contraceptives (the day-after pill) with a gender viewpoint, among young college students affiliated to Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social.


METHODS
a cross-sectional survey was applied to 583 freshmen college students at the Health Sciences University Center of the University of Guadalajara. The quantitative probe included: knowledge about emergency contraceptives (EC) and attitudes concerning the use of EC. The qualitative probe included reasons for taking or not taking EC.


RESULTS
95 % of the population had heard about EC, and 80 % considered it as a useful contraceptive method. The knowledge about the correct use of EC as well as its acceptance was greater in men than in women. Women proved to be more reflexive when mentioning a number of reasons to justify the need for further information about EC. The reasons not to take EC were linked to moral criteria aspects. Men were more knowledgeable and more prone to using it.


CONCLUSIONS
the knowledge and attitudes concerning the use of EC were different among men and women. Almost all had heard about EC, half of them knew how to use it correctly and 25% showed unfavorable attitudes about taking it due to ethical and moral concerns.
Tapia-Curiel
Amparo
A
Centro Universitario de Ciencas de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Unidad de Investigación Epidemiológica y en Servicios de Salud del Adolescente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Villaseñor-Farías
Martha
M
Nuño-Gutiérrez
Bertha Lidia
BL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012737:Sex Factors