2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

335804
Over-the-counter emergency contraception for all ages: How has recent policy change influenced adolescent providers' practice?


Wednesday, November 4, 2015 : 9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Amber Truehart, MD, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Lee Hasselbacher, JD, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Camille Fabiyi, PhD, MPH, Section of Family Planning and Contraception Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Melissa Gilliam, MD, MPH, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Innovation in Sexual and Reproductive Health, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background: Emergency contraception (EC) is an underused contraceptive method by adolescents. Clinician comfort with and knowledge of EC have been identified as barriers. Recent policy changes regarding over-the-counter EC provision may further contribute to EC underuse. We explored resident adolescent providers’ level of awareness of EC policies and how this may affect their practices regarding EC.

Methods: Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 24 medical residents from pediatrics, family and emergency medicine programs at four institutions in Chicago. Interviews were digitally recorded, and were analyzed for salient themes.

Results: Few participants were aware of the most recent policy change regarding EC. They described limited formal education in residency about policy in general with most of their information coming from colleagues with a special interest in the topic. There was an overall positive reaction to the policy change by all specialties, once aware of it, but both family medicine and pediatric residents cited some concerns, including comments about cost and that over-the-counters status might discourage patients from coming in and receiving comprehensive sexual and reproductive health counseling. All specialties did believe this policy change would affect their clinical practice and contraceptive counseling in the future in that they would counsel about EC on a more frequent basis.

Conclusions:  Understanding adolescent providers’ awareness and thoughts regarding EC policy is essential to beginning to address underuse of the contraceptive method in this population. These findings could be used to shape resident education around EC and integrate important policy information into residency education.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education

Learning Objectives:
Describe the knowledge and training of a sample of pediatrics, family and emergency medicine residents regarding over-the-counter availability of EC. Discuss the value of increased education and training about policy changes that affect contraceptive counseling and access to EC.

Keyword(s): Reproductive Health, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an obstetrician-gynecologist and family planning fellow with experience providing emergency contraception and training residents and students in family planning.I am the PI on a study investigating faculty and resident knowledge and training around emergency contraception, part of which is the basis for this abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5070.0: Emergency contraception