Fauzia Nausheen, Javed Iqbal, Aarif Tajammul Khan, Shahida Sheikh, Mamoon Akbar.
Emergency Contraception: knowledge, attitudes and practices of General Practitioner.
Biomedica Jan ;20(2):117-21.

We conducted a telephone survey among general practitioners from different localities of Lahore selected as convenience sample. Information was collected on a pre-designed questionnaire. The main outcome measures were the knowledge regarding preparations, efficacy, safety, side effects and their attitude toward EC. The relationship of knowledge with age, education and years of practice was also assessed. We interviewed 120 GPs (50 males, 70 females). Among these 65% of the doctors were <40 years of age and 35% > 40 years. Of the responders 38% didn`t know any thing about emergency contraception, whereas 46% knew only about hormonal method of emergency contraception 15% about the hormonal and IUCD and none of them was aware of Mifepristone. Among these, the knowledge of 30% of the participants about emergency contraception was adequate and that of 70% was inadequate. The difference of accuracy of knowledge was statistically significant (p<0.05). Only 10% of GPs were in routine practice to talk about EC as a backup support while discussing their patients about contraception. There was no statistically significant difference of knowledge among males and females (p>0.05). Young GPs (<40 years of age) were more aware of IUCD as EC compared with those more than (>40 years) though the difference was not statistically significant but it might have a clinical significance. GPs with postgraduate education when compared with graduates were more likely to know and talk about EC (P <0.05). Maximum knowledgable GPs were those practicing for the last 5 years (30%) as compared to practicing for more than 10 years (6.7%) (p<0 05). Ethically and morally all GPs were in support of EC and were having favourable attitude towards EC. These findings of our study suggest that the precise knowledge about emergency contraception among doctors (GPs) is inadequate. Prescription practices can improve by generating education and training of health care providers. It should be a routine practice to consider emergency contraception as a part of contraceptive discussion with the couple. The purpose of the present study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of general practitioners toward emergency contraception from different localities of the city of Lahore, which has a population of more than 6 millions.

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