IMPORTANT BUT INCOMPLETE: PLAN B AS AN AVENUE FOR POST-ASSAULT CARE.
Many survivors of rape do not seek post-assault care. The recent change in status of emergency contraception (EC), such as Plan B, to an over-the-counter (OTC) product may be further changing post-assault care-seeking. This descriptive study will quantify OTC EC use in the post-assault period and elicit survivors' desires for care. Data were collected from women purchasing OTC EC at university pharmacies (n=55) and students in an undergraduate university class (n=165). Quantitative results indicate annual prevalence rates of post-assault OTC EC use as 5.4%-7.3%. Qualitative analyses indicate OTC EC is an important but incomplete form of post-assault care. Future work should focus on intervention development to provide all OTC EC users with information about post-assault resources to prevent long-term sequelae.
University of Michigan, School of Nursing, 400 N. Ingalls, Room 3188, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
Michelle L
ML
Munro
Emory University, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Atlanta, GA, kristy.k.martyn@emory.edu.
Kristy K
KK
Martyn
Michigan State University, Department of Psychology, East Lansing, MI, rmc@msu.edu.
Rebecca
R
Campbell
University of Michigan, Department of Psychology, Ann Arbor, MI, sandragb@umich.edu.
Sandra
S
Graham-Bermann
University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI, jseng@umich.edu.
Julia S
JS
Seng
emergency contraception; post-assault care; rape