Emergency contraception considerations and use among college women.

BACKGROUND: Emergency contraception (EC) has been available behind the counter without a prescription since 2006. Evidence has shown increased use of EC among young women, but no recent findings have been published to date of current use. METHODS: This cross-sectional study surveyed 482 college heterosexually active college women attending a large public university who either visited the college-based health clinic or were enrolled in selected undergraduate classes. Prediction models were created for each outcome, EC consideration and use, using Poisson regression with robust variance estimates. RESULTS: Just over 58% of college women sampled reported ever considering EC, and just under 47% reported actual use. Consideration and actual EC use were highest for students who were nonwhite and who reported more sexual partners. Although female students who did not use condoms were more likely to use EC, there was no difference in EC relative to hormonal contraception use. CONCLUSIONS: As EC becomes both better known and more readily available, use is expected to grow. Moving forward, greater attention is needed to the efficacy of EC use on preventing unwanted pregnancies.

Human papillomavirus vaccine uptake and barriers: association with perceived risk, actual risk and race/ethnicity among female students at a New York State university, 2010.

Understanding human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake patterns is critical to improve vaccination levels. Approximately half (56%) of female undergraduate students surveyed at a large public university reported HPV vaccine series initiation, with 79% of initiators completing the three dose series. Predictors of series initiation included having a conversation with a health-care provider about the vaccine, reporting a history of sexual intercourse and receipt of the meningitis vaccine. Compared to whites, black/African-American women were 33% less likely to have initiated HPV vaccination. Common reasons for not receiving the HPV vaccine included concerns about vaccine safety and doctors' not recommending vaccination.