College student knowledge and attitudes toward emergency contraception.

Background: This study explored male and female college students' knowledge of and attitudes toward emergency contraception pills (ECPs).

Methods: A survey of 692 undergraduate college students (338 male and 358 female) was conducted at a mid-size university in northwest Pennsylvania during the Spring 2008 semester.

Results: Eighty-three percent of the participants had experienced sexual intercourse, and 52% of them had feared a pregnancy at least once. Only 17% of the participants indicated prior use of ECP. Seventy-four percent of the students had heard of emergency contraception (EC); however, less than one-third knew the prescription status, common side effects or mechanisms of ECP. Only 16% of the participants knew that ECP was available at their college health center. Fifty percent of the students reported that they would feel comfortable using ECP, and 58% felt that ECP should be available without a prescription.

Conclusions: College students' knowledge level about EC is poor. There is a clear need for ECP as a pregnancy prevention method among college students and for better education about it.