Sex differences in the awareness of emergency contraceptive pills associated with unmarried Korean university students’ intention to use contraceptive methods: an online survey

BACKGROUND: Awareness of emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) associated with an intention to use other contraceptive methods has rarely been investigated. This study compared the ECP awareness of males and females and its associations with intention to use four other contraceptive methods (condoms, oral contraceptive pills, and withdrawal and rhythm methods) in unmarried university students in Korea. This study explores the importance of ECP awareness in university students’ contraceptive education. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed, in which 1372 unmarried university students (men, n = 755, women, n = 617) answered a Web-based survey. Sex differences in ECP awareness and four contraceptive intentions, and associations between ECP awareness and contraceptive intentions between sex were analysed using independent t-tests and χ(2) test. Variables yielding significant associations with contraceptive intentions (p < 0.05) were included in a logistic regression using the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) to estimate the impact of ECP awareness on students’ contraceptive intentions. RESULTS: Awareness of ECP was found in 88.2 % of participants, which was generally positive. There were significant sex differences in some ECP awareness and students’ contraceptive intentions, and in the associations between previous ECP use and ECP awareness between male and female university students. In men, the belief that “ECP can cause sex with multiple partners” was associated with intention to use the rhythm method (AOR = 1.61, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.02–2.56). For women, the belief that “ECP is necessary in case of condom breakage” was associated with intention to use the withdrawal (AOR = 058, 95 % CI = 0.37–0.93) or rhythm (AOR = 0.36, 95 % CI = 0.16–0.84) methods, and “ECP should be prescribed by a doctor” was associated with the intention to use the rhythm method (AOR = 0.45, 95 % CI = 0.26–0.77). CONCLUSIONS: ECP awareness was associated with the intentions of students to use withdrawal or rhythm methods. The sex-specific approach in the examination of students’ contraceptive intentions and their determinants was helpful.