Assessment of knowledge and attitudes among female students of Preschool Teacher Training College on emergency contraception, Serbia

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Unwanted pregnancies in the student population could be avoided by using emergency contraception, which is legally available in Serbia. OBJECTIVES: Determine whether there are differences in attitudes and knowledge between respondents urban and rural areas regarding EC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Preschool Teacher Training College of Applied Studies in Šabac where inclusion criteria were female students, from urban and rural areas, of any age group. Data were collected using a questionnaire constructed for the purposes of this research. Ethical approval was taken prior to data collection. RESULTS: Overall 260 participants (151 urban area and 109 rural area) participated in the study. Students from urban areas had better informed about the term EC (ch2 4,16; p=0,04) and that this type of contraception was targeted at females (ch2 3,746; p=0.05). Significantly higher numbers of female students in the urban area claimed that the indications for the uses of EC was an unprotected sexual intercourse (ch2 4,516; p=0,003) and irregular taking of hormonal contraception (ch2 4,83; p=0,02). Only one-quarter of the students knew drugs used for EC do not harm future fertility. Less than half of the respondents consider that her partner would agree to use of EC in case of unprotected sex. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the respondents of both groups do not have enough knowledge on this topic and that there is a need for a targeted health education programme.

Keywords

• emergency contraception
• female students
• reproductive health
• urban area
• rural area