Biomaterial Database

Knowledge and use of emergency postcoital contraception by female students at a high school in Nova Scotia. 2000

D B Langille, and M E Delaney

Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS. donald.langille@dal.ca

OBJECTIVE This study was performed in the context of a sexual health promotion project in a Nova Scotia community. Community members wanted information about adolescent females' knowledge and use of emergency contraception (EC). The study was done to meet this need. METHODS Female high school students aged 14 to 19 were administered a self-completion survey asking about their knowledge of EC, the time frame for its use, its effectiveness, their personal use of EC, unsuccessful attempts to obtain EC, and sources of knowledge of EC. RESULTS Eighty-five percent of 411 female students participated. Eighty percent knew about EC, though few (8%) knew the time frame for EC use. Most (42%) heard of EC at school. Eighteen percent used no contraception at last intercourse. Only 2% ever had used EC. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent women know about EC but use it infrequently, even though they frequently lack contraception. These findings raise questions about alternative methods for providing EC to young women.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007722	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	Knowledge, attitudes, and associated behaviors which pertain to health-related topics such as PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES or diseases, their prevention, and treatment. This term refers to non-health workers and health workers (HEALTH PERSONNEL).	Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
D009674	Nova Scotia	A province of eastern Canada, one of the Maritime Provinces with NEW BRUNSWICK; PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND; and sometimes NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR. Its capital is Halifax. The territory was granted in 1621 by James I to the Scotsman Sir William Alexander and was called Nova Scotia, the Latin for New Scotland. The territory had earlier belonged to the French, under the name of Acadia. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p871 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p384)
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003268	Contraception Behavior	Behavior patterns of those practicing CONTRACEPTION.	Contraceptive Behavior,Contraceptive Method Switching,Contraceptive Usage,Contraception Behaviors,Contraceptive Behaviors
D003281	Contraceptives, Postcoital	Contraceptive substances to be used after COITUS. These agents include high doses of estrogenic drugs; progesterone-receptor blockers; ANTIMETABOLITES; ALKALOIDS, and PROSTAGLANDINS.	Emergency Contraceptive,Morning-After Pill,Postcoital Contraceptive,Postcoital Contraceptives,Contraceptive Agents, Post-Coital,Contraceptive Agents, Postcoital,Contraceptives, Post-Coital,Emergency Contraceptives,Contraceptive Agents, Post Coital,Contraceptive, Emergency,Contraceptive, Postcoital,Contraceptives, Emergency,Contraceptives, Post Coital,Morning After Pill,Post-Coital Contraceptive Agents,Post-Coital Contraceptives,Postcoital Contraceptive Agents
D004630	Emergencies	Situations or conditions requiring immediate intervention to avoid serious adverse results.	Emergency
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000294	Adolescent Behavior	Any observable response or action of an adolescent.	Behavior, Adolescent,Adolescent Behaviors,Behaviors, Adolescent