Effectiveness of an Educational Leaflet on Knowledge and Attitude of Emergency Contraceptive Methods among Non-medical Female Undergraduates of University of Ruhuna.

Abstract

Background: Emergency contraceptives (EC) are medications or devices designed to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure. Awareness about emergency contraceptives is crucial for individuals to make informed decisions about their sexual health. Young women with non-medical background have less chances to aware about EC compared to those with medical background which make them trouble. Objective: To investigate the effect of an educational leaflet on the improvement of knowledge and attitude toward ECs among non-medical female undergraduates Methods: A pre-experimental study was conducted among 383 non-medical female undergraduates at University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka including 120 students at Faculty of Management and 263 students at Faculty of Technology. The pre and post-evaluation of participants' knowledge and attitudes was conducted following the dissemination of information through an educational leaflet available in both Sinhala and English languages. This leaflet, developed with reference to current evidence and the best clinical recommendations, drew upon resources such as the National Health Service (NHS) website. Analysis was performed using Paired t-test and Chi-Square in SPSS version 20.0. Results: Out of 421 recruited participants, 9.1% dropped out after the intervention. Therefore, the final sample size was 383. The mean±SD age of the participants was 23±1.87 years. Pre-test identified that only 14.4% of the participants did not show acquaintance with the term 'emergency contraception,’ while only 40.2% were aware of Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) and Levonorgestrel (LNG) pills as types of EC. Only one-third was knowledgeable about the use of ECs. Demographic variables such as living status and marital status were significantly associated with existing knowledge (p<0.05). Of the sample, only 15.25% exhibited a favorable attitude towards the utilization of ECs. After the intervention, a significant improvement of the knowledge score (pre vs post; 12.48±6.83 vs 30.69±6.18 (p<0.001) and attitude increased favorably towards EC fourfold compared to pre-test (p<0.001). Conclusion: The educational leaflet led to a noticeable improvement in participants' knowledge on ECs was and an increase in favorable attitudes toward ECs. This study underscores the efficacy of utilizing educational leaflets to enhance awareness and understanding of ECs. Comprehensive education and awareness among young women with non-medical backgrounds are essential to empower individuals to understand their reproductive choices and access appropriate healthcare when needed.