Female College Students' Knowledge, Perceptions, and Use of Emergency Contraception

Female college students' experiences with and perceptions of over-the-counter emergency contraception in the United States

“…Many women have incomplete knowledge surrounding EC, particularly related to timing, effectiveness, and side effects [8,9,12,13], despite its availability OTC for more than 2 years at the time of this study. Healthcare providers are not consistently providing information, although women view them as reliable sources of information [8,[13][14][15].…”

“…Researchers have noted the inadequate knowledge and misconceptions surrounding EC [8,12,13]. Many women are not well informed regarding indication, timing, side effects and efficacy; many cannot differentiate EC from RU-486 (mifepristone), the medication used to induce an abortion [8,9,14].…”

Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP) Use and Experiences at College Health Centers in the Mid-Atlantic United States: Changes Since ECP Went Over-the-Counter

“…17(p523) The highest rates of unintended pregnancy in the United States occur in collegeage women; 60% of pregnancies among 20-to 24-yearolds are unintended, and even higher rates of unintended pregnancy exist among 18-to 19-year-olds. 18 Studies have shown that approximately 80% of college students have experienced sexual intercourse 17,19,20 and over half of them have feared that at one time or another they or their partner were pregnant. 17 Although the need for ECP use to prevent unintended pregnancies is clearly high, rates of use among college students have been low.…”

“…17 Although the need for ECP use to prevent unintended pregnancies is clearly high, rates of use among college students have been low. 17,19 Recent studies have indicated that although over 95% of college students have heard of ECP, 19,21 only 12% to 28% have reported ever using it. 17,19,21 The need for ECP among college students has been well established, and for many college students, the campus health center is the primary source of access to health care during the school year.…”

‘Should I Tell Him?’ How Women Decide to Include or Exclude Their Partners in Emergency Contraception Decisions

“…EC usage varies across demographic groups in the United States, with White women, single women, those with more education, and younger women more likely to use EC than minority women, married women, those without a college education, and older women (Black, Mercer, Johnson, & Wellings, 2006;Breitbart, Castle, Walsh, & Casanova, 1998;Hickey, 2009). And while studies show that a majority of U.S. women may be aware of the option to use EC after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure (Abbott, Feldhaus, Houry, & Lowenstein, 2004;Corbett, Mitchell, Taylor, & Kemppainen, 2006;Ellertson, Shochet, Blanchard, & Trussell, 2000;Vahratian, Patel, Wolff, & Xiao, 2008), there is little research on how women make the decision to use EC.…”