“A Lot of My Friends Don't Know How It Works”: Student Activists Describe Gaps in College Students' Emergency Contraception Knowledge

Introduction

Despite the high potential need for emergency contraception (EC) among college students, lack of accurate knowledge may decrease the likelihood of its use in this population. We examined knowledge about EC methods, potential outcomes of use, and access among college students in the United States.

Methods

We recruited college students from a listserv devoted to EC campus activism for an online survey about EC knowledge (N = 150) and conducted 24 follow-up in-depth interviews. We describe the share of respondents that correctly answered each question and provide additional context and insight from interview respondents.

Results

Gaps in EC knowledge were noted in our sample of college student EC activists. Awareness of different methods of EC was not universal; 38% of the sample was unaware of ulipristal acetate (ella®) and 61% was unaware of the intrauterine device inserted after intercourse as EC. Many respondents also incorrectly perceived additional barriers to acquiring EC such as minimum age or an ID requirement to purchase EC (64% and 49%, respectively). Interview respondents describe how medical providers, such as student health services and pharmacists, can pose barriers to EC access through either their actions or how college students expect they will act.

Conclusions

We document several gaps in knowledge surrounding EC in college students, even in an activist sample. Additional efforts to inform students about the variety of available EC methods and address mistaken perceptions about barriers to access may allow college students to better meet their needs for EC.