This study investigated knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with EC among low SES young men and women.
One hundred and ninety-eight new enrollees at two Los Angeles primary medical care clinics completed surveys about their knowledge, past use, and the likelihood of using EC. Chi-square and regression analyses assessed gender differences in knowledge and attitudes.
Women were more likely than men to answer questions about EC and its use accurately. Across both sexes, accurate knowledge predicted future willingness to use EC. Only half the women and a third of men knew that pharmacists could directly dispense EC; even fewer knew that EC’s legal access age was 17 years or that men could access EC from pharmacies for their female partners. Although respondents most commonly reported that friends were their source of current information about EC, both men and women chose health care professionals as their desired source of future EC information.
The study concluded that young men in this sample were significantly less knowledgeable than young women about EC. Educating young men about EC by health care providers during routine visits may be a unique opportunity.
Reference: https://srh.bmj.com/content/41/1/33
