Natural contraception apps knowledge among Brazilian women and Obstetrics and Gynaecology residents

Abstract

Background

Our objectives were to determine the knowledge and interest in apps for natural contraception among women and Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGYN) residents.

Study design

An online survey was sent to Brazilian women to gather sociodemographic data, knowledge and interest towards fertility-awareness contraceptive methods and smartphone apps for this purpose. Also, we sent an online survey to OBGYN residents to evaluate the reproductive physiology knowledge of natural contraception and interest in improving it and knowledge and smartphone apps for this purpose.

Results

A total of 730 women answered the survey, and 638 were included in the study and 94 OBGYN residents answered the survey. Among the respondent women 386 (60.5%) were interested in more information about natural contraception, 226 (35.5%) showed interest in use natural contraception, 85 (13.3%) indicated that they were users of natural contraception, 15 (16.8%) of this group currently uses an app for this purpose and 485 (76%) considers a practical option to have an app for natural contraception. Regarding the respondent residents all answers were included in the study; 62 (65.9%) knew the right definition of ‘Natural Contraception’, 52 (55.3%) showed interest in information about this topic and 78 (82.9%) considers a practical option to have an app for natural contraception.

Conclusions

Less than 15% of the respondent women use natural contraception although about 60% expressed some interest in learning more, and that among OBGYN residents, half showed interest.

摘要

背景：我们的目的是确定妇女和妇产科住院医师对自然避孕的了解以及对自然避孕应用程序的兴趣。

研究设计：向巴西妇女发送了一份在线调查, 以收集社会人口数据、对生育意识避孕方法和以此为目的的智能手机应用程序的了解和兴趣。同时, 我们向妇产科住院医师发送了一份在线调查, 以评估自然避孕的生殖生理知识和改善它的兴趣, 以及对以此为目的的知识和智能手机应用程序的兴趣。

结果：共有 730 名女性参加了调查, 其中 638 人被纳入研究, 94 名 妇产科住院医师参加了调查。在受访妇女中, 386人（60.5%）对更多关于自然避孕的信息感兴趣, 226人（35.5%）对使用自然避孕感兴趣, 85人（13.3%）表示她们是自然避孕的使用者, 该群体中15人（16.8%）目前为此目的使用一个应用程序, 485人（76%）认为拥有一个用于自然避孕的应用程序是实用的选择。所有住院医师的答案都被纳入研究；62人（65.9%）知道 "自然避孕 "的正确定义, 52人（55.3%）对这个话题的信息感兴趣, 78人（82.9%）认为拥有一个自然避孕的应用程序是一个实用的选择。

结论：不到15%的受访妇女使用自然避孕, 尽管大约60%的人表示有兴趣了解更多, 而且在妇产科住院医师中, 有一半人表示有兴趣。

Keywords:

• Contraceptive methods
• Mobile apps
• natural contraception
• women
• physicians
• Brazil

Author contributions

PCP, IM, and LB, conceived and designed the study protocol, collected data perform the data analysis and interpretation and wrote all the versions of the manuscript. PCP, IM and LB critically reviewed the manuscript and all the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study received partial financial support from the Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) award No. 2015/20504-9 and from the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq) grant No. 573747/2008-3. The institutions which provided financial support for the conduct of this research do not have any participation in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.