title: [The CHOICE study (Contraceptive Health Research Of Informed Choice Experience)--an educational research program for Polish women planning combined hormonal contraceptives use].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to develop an optimal educational model for contraceptive counseling, to analyze conditions influencing choice of hormonal contraception, to study patients' opinions on present, planned and proposed contraceptive methods and to link these data with socioeconomic and demographic conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand eight hundred fifty women (mean age 26.8 +/- 5.9 yrs) willing to use hormonal contraception were presented with essential information on combined hormonal contraception and asked to fill the anonymous questionnaire investigating factors influencing contraceptive choice and patients' opinion on alternative forms of birth regulation. The study was conducted in selected 185 centers in Poland and was a part of a larger survey (CHOICE) conducted on 11 216 women in Europe and Israel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority of the studied women were in stable relationship (85,5%), had higher or incomplete higher education (54.8%) and permanent job (54%). The purpose of the visit was to start/change contraception (64.2%), a routine gynecologic check-up (36.7%) or the need for a prescription for the continued contraceptive medication (18.7%). The most commonly used contraceptive methods were oral contraceptive pills (OCP 38.7%) and condom (24.9%). Majority of women highly valued contraceptive counseling and more than 90% were eager to get familiarized with information leaflets. Before the counseling majority of subjects stated that were convinced to use OCP (52.7%; major advantages named: easy to use, favorable bleeding profile, amelioration of menstrual discomfort, comfortable, discrete) and contraceptive patch (22%; major advantages named: applied once a week, comfortable, simple, low risk for noncompliance, favorable bleeding profile). After the counseling there was an increase in proportion of women interested in contraceptive hormonal ring (by 19%; major advantages named: applied once a month, comfortable, very low risk for noncompliance, high efficacy and positive recommendation from a physician). In 58 women no hormonal contraception was recommended, predominantly due to medical contraindications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Appropriate patient counseling on all forms of combined hormonal contraception, with special attention paid to benefits and safety issues, suited to women's expectations and education is fundamental for the selection of an optimal birth control method.
authors.affiliation: II Katedra i Klinika Ginekologii UM w Lublinie, Polska. jacunio98@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomaszewski
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paszkowski
authors.forename: Romuald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Debski
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kotarski
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Skrzypulec-Plinta
authors.forename: Robert Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Spaczyński
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pawelczyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003267:Contraception / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003376:Counseling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D016387:Women's Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined