Effect of a Brief Educational Intervention on the Attitudes of Young Women Toward the Intrauterine Device
published online 06 November 2009.
Abstract
Study Objective
The intrauterine device (IUD) is underused by young women, who are at high risk for unintended pregnancy. We aimed to assess the impact of a brief educational intervention on the attitudes of young women toward intrauterine contraception and to assess characteristics associated with a change in attitude.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This is a planned secondary analysis of a survey of 144 women, aged 14–24 years, which assessed attitudes toward the IUD.
Intervention
The analysis was planned to fully examine the impact of a 3-minute educational intervention about the IUD given during administration of the survey, which included risks and benefits of IUD use, costs, side effects, and a demonstration of the IUD insertion and removal process.
Main Outcome Measure
Proportions of participants with a positive attitude toward the IUD before and after the intervention were compared using McNemar's chi-square test for paired proportions. Factors associated with a change in attitude toward the IUD were evaluated using multivariable analysis.
Results
Before the educational intervention, 14.7% (21/143) had both heard of the IUD and expressed a positive attitude toward it. After the intervention, this proportion increased to 53.8% (77/143) (P < .01). The increase in proportion with a positive attitude was consistent for all subpopulations. In multivariable analysis, the only significant predictor of a positive change in attitude toward the IUD was a history of voluntary sexual activity (adjusted odds ratio 10.3, 95% confidence interval 2.0–53.1).
Conclusions
A brief educational intervention significantly improves the attitude of young sexually active women toward the IUD.
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL
2Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
3Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
4Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
5Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Address correspondence to: Amy Whitaker, MD, MS, University of Chicago Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL 60637; Phone: (773) 834-4129; fax: (773) 702-0840
All study activities were conducted in Pittsburgh, PA, except for data analysis, which took place in Chicago, IL. At the time this study was undertaken, both Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Harwood were in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA.
ABSTRACT