Emergency contraception and risk habits in a university population

Abstract

Objective: The aim of our study was to determine the self-reported prevalence of use of emergency contraception (EC), identify factors associated with EC use, and measure the prevalence in university students of pregnancy and abortion among users and non-users of EC.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of university students using a self-administered questionnaire was carried out in 2016. The main dependent variable was EC use at any time. Independent variables included sociodemographic factors and factors related to harmful habits and sexual behaviour.

Results: The study sample consisted of 1309 students (median age 20 years). Forty per cent of participants reported using EC; condom failure was given as the main reason. Variables associated with EC use in both men and women were illegal drug consumption and having had more than 10 sexual partners. In women, other factors associated with EC use were age at first coitus and non-centrist political views. The prevalence of pregnancy was 6.5% and the prevalence of voluntary abortion was 2.9%. This prevalence was similar for men and women and for EC users and non-users.

Conclusion: EC use in university students was more likely in those who experienced contraceptive failure or used no contraception. There were differences between men and women. Those at higher risk of unplanned pregnancy were more likely to report EC use, which may explain why there was no difference in the rates of unwanted pregnancies between EC users and non-users.

摘要

目的：我们的研究目的是确定自我报告的紧急避孕药（EC）采用的流行程度, 确定与采用EC相关的因素, 并评估大学生中EC的采用者和非采用者怀孕和流产的发生率。

方法：2016年对大学生采用问卷调查进行了横断面描述性研究。主要因变量是随时采用EC。 自变量包括社会人口学因素和与有害习惯和性行为相关的因素。

结果：研究中包含了1309名学生（年龄中位数20岁）。40％的参与者报告采用EC, 避孕套失效是主要原因。与男性和女性采用EC相关的变量是非法毒品消费, 并且有超过10个性伴侣。在女性中, 与采用EC相关的其他因素包括首次性交时的年龄和非中间派的政治观点。怀孕率为6.5％, 自愿流产率为2.9％, 男性和女性以及EC用户和非EC用户的以上两个发生率是相似的。

结论：对于那些经历过避孕失败或不采用避孕措施的大学生来说, 采用EC的可能性更大。男女之间存在差异。那些意外怀孕风险较高的人更有可能报告采用EC, 这可以解释为什么EC用户和非EC用户之间的意外怀孕率没有差异。

Keywords:

• Cross-sectional study
• data collection
• postcoital contraception
• risk factors
• students
• unsafe sex

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Official College of Nursing of the Balearic Islands – COIBA.