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Receipt and Use of Emergency Contraception and Sexually Transmitted Infection-Related Health Services: Findings from the National Survey of Family Growth, 2006–2008
Journal of Women's Health, 06/29/2012
Habel MA et al. – Emergency contraception (EC) recipients were no more likely than nonrecipients to have received STI counseling or screening despite greater numbers of sex partners in the past year. This research indicates that women are accessing EC in pharmacies, which may be a missed opportunity for counseling and testing.
Methods- Using a sample of 6329 women from the National Survey of Family Growth 2006–2008, authors examined the relationship between lifetime EC use and recent receipt of EC and demographics, sexual behaviors, and STI–related services.
- Variables significant at p<0.10 in bivariate analyses were examined using multivariable logistic regression models.
- Overall, 10% (704) of the sample had ever used EC. Most EC users had received EC from a family planning clinic (51%), drugstore (23%), or doctor's office (17%).
- In adjusted analyses, demographic factors associated with receipt of EC in the past 12 months included never married (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.0) and living in a metropolitan statistical area (AOR 4.2).
- Women reporting multiple partners (2+) (AOR 2.4), inconsistent condom use (AOR 3.4), and having recently been tested for chlamydia (AOR 2.0) had higher odds of receiving EC in the past 12 months.
- Findings among women ever reporting EC use were similar, except women who had 4+ lifetime partners (AOR 2.5) and had recently received a chlamydia diagnosis (AOR 2.2) had higher odds of ever having used EC.