Attitudes, beliefs, and practices of providers and key opinion leaders on emergency contraception in India

The Population Council undertook this study to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding emergency contraception (ECP) among providers in public and private facilities and pharmacies in India. The objectives of the study were to: assess providers' knowledge of ECP's biological mechanism; understand providers' knowledge and attitudes about ECP's safety, effectiveness, and availability as an OTC drug; and identify providers' definitions of “repeated use” and profiling women who are “repeated users” of ECP. This study's findings show that most providers, including doctors and some KOLs, were incorrectly informed about ECP's mechanism of action. Service guidelines are necessary for accurate and adequate information on ECPs and could be included in the training curricula of all doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. As part of corporate social responsibility, medical representatives of different ECP manufacturing firms could also play a significant role in educating pharmacists about ECP.