Emergency contraception: a survey of knowledge and attitudes among PSHE co-ordinators in Avon secondary schools

Abstract

Emergency contraception can be used as a back up if unprotected intercourse occurs or contraception fails. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) co-ordinators may be in a position to provide information about emergency contraception in school in a health promotion context, and for individual pupils. Little is known about what these teachers know about emergency contraception, and whether they see their role as providing pupils with infor mation about it. This paper reports on a survey of PSHE co-ordinators in Avon, South West England. Respondents did believe that it is their responsi bility to teach about contraception (80 per cent), including emergency con traception (69 per cent). The results suggest that there are gaps in respondents' knowledge: 85 respondents (98 per cent) knew of hormonal emergency con traception but knowledge of the correct time limits (72 hours) were known to only 65 per cent of respondents, There is a wide range of intended practices in the giving of confidential information to individual pupils.