Emergency Contraception to Prevent Pregnancy: Missed Opportunities for Care.

University Of Michigan At Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): One in six American women will be raped in her lifetime, which can result in pregnancy, injury, sexually transmitted infections, post-traumatic stress disorder, a need to seek forensic and victim services, and potential legal system involvement for safety and prosecution (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2006). However, there is a gap in the literature on how the over-the-counter (OTC) status of Plan B(R) may impact contact with a healthcare provider because such limitation has the potential to affect the comprehensive care completed rape survivors will receive. The purpose of this mixed method study is to examine the impact of OTC Plan B(R) on survivors who might otherwise receive gold standard comprehensive care. A feminist perspective will frame this study. The data collection and analysis plan are informed by the PI's content specific integration of a nursing model, the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior and a theory suited to public health phenomena, Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory. This model will guide the use of a concurrent mixed method approach to meet the specific aims of 1) using an anonymous survey to quantify missed opportunities for desired care and 2) using a participatory action framework and open-ended questions to assess the conceptual model and post-assault Plan B(R) users' desire for interventions to facilitate access to all elements of comprehensive care. We will recruit participants from university based pharmacies in Michigan while they are obtaining Plan B(R). All participants will be asked to answer an anonymous questionnaire. Specifically, all participants accessing Plan B(R) will complete a questionnaire labeled the Yellow Questionnaire which will include questions related to the study's conceptual framework taken from the Survey on Women's Health Issues. Those identifying as completed rape survivors will answer the Blue Questionnaire with questions from the Sexual Experiences Survey. The results of this interdisciplinary research study will provide insight into the use of the PI's mode in evaluating missed opportunities for care and will help inform interventions for completed rape survivors using Plan B(R) who are at risk of not receiving comprehensive care. This project is the initial step for a doctoral student in a long-term research trajectory focused on completed rape survivors, Plan B(R), and efficacious interventions for comprehensive care. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Now that emergency contraception (Plan B(R)) is available at the pharmacy without prescription, survivors of completed rape may self-treat to prevent pregnancy and forego the other five elements of comprehensive care: care for injuries, sexually transmitted infection prophylaxis, mental health referrals, forensic and victim services, and justice system involvement. This mixed method study will quantify potential missed opportunities for care, will provide insight into the use of the PI's model in evaluating missed opportunities fo care, and will elicit survivors' desires for alternative access to comprehensive care.