title: [Awareness, consumption and access to emergency contraception among female university students in the south of the State of Santa Catarina].
abstract: The scope of this study was to investigate knowledge about and access to emergency contraception among female university students in the south of the State of Santa Catarina. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted between September and October 2008, in which a questionnaire was given to 360 women aged 18 to 45 years. Most belonged to the B2 economic class or higher (74.2%) and 79.4% of them had already had intercourse. Of these, 48.6% had used emergency contraception, though this was more frequent among younger women. Emergency contraception was used 2.4 times, and 87.1% had used contraceptive methods within 24 hours after intercourse. Adverse reactions were reported by 20.9%, the most common being menstrual cycle changes (44.8%) and nausea (44.8%). The reasons for using emergency contraception included the lack of condom use (44.6%) and condom rupture (39.6%). Of the women interviewed, 15% either failed to answer the question on STD prevention or answered incorrectly, while 97.8% denied having changed the method used routinely. Only 2.9% of the participants had acquired the medication via prescription, and 35.3% received guidance on application of the medication at the time of purchase.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Atenção Farmacêutica e Estudos da Utilização de Medicamentos (NAFEUM), Curso de Farmácia, Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (UNISUL), Av. José Acácio Moreira 787, Dehon, 88704-900 Tubarão SC. graziela.alano@unisul.br
authors.forename: Graziela Modolon
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Alano
authors.forename: Laise Nunes
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Luziane Righeto
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Dayani
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult