Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre la anticoncepción oral de emergencia en los adolescentes escolarizados de la Ciudad de Cuenca, 2014

Abstract

Summary: Premature sexual activity exposes adolescents to the consequences of unplanned pregnancy. Emergency oral contraception is considered an efficacious mechanism to prevent pregnancy. The use of emergency oral contraception is determined by the level of knowledge and attitudes adolescents demonstrate towards this method of contraception.

Key Objective: Determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of emergency oral contraception of schooled adolescents in the city of Cuenca, 2014.

Method and Materials: An observational descriptive study of 525 schooled adolescents of ages 15 to 19 years from 7 randomized high-schools in Cuenca. A survey was used to determine the following variables: social demographics, sexual activity, knowledge, attitudes, and practices of emergency oral contraception.

Results: It was determined that 64.2% of test subjects were between 16-17 years of age, 60,2% were females, 97,9% identified themselves as single, 48,4% were completing their second year of high-school. 34,9% experienced sexual relations; test subjects initiated sexual activity at an average age of 15.3 years. 86,3% have heard of emergency oral contraception; rates lowered after investigating in depth, 74,3% possess positive attitudes towards this contraception, 52.8% of the sexually active female subjects admitted to using emergency oral contraception at some time.

Conclusions: The knowledge of oral emergency contraception was partial and although schooled adolescents demostrated a positive attitude towards this method of contraception, its application was insufficient.