Objective: To determine the level of knowledge of emergency contraception among private-sector pharmacists and doctors.
Method: This hand-delivered, confidential questionnaire survey was undertaken in North and South Central Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. The main outcome measures were frequency of demand for emergency contraception and knowledge of its dosing schedule, side-effects and contraindications.
Results: Ninety-six per cent of pharmacists and 93% of doctors had received requests for emergency contraceptive pills within the past year. Thirty-two per cent of pharmacists and 28% of doctors prescribed the Yuzpe regimen correctly. Only 23 (27%) doctors and 25 (22%) pharmacists were able to identify three common side-effects associated with emergency contraceptive pills. Forty-six per cent of pharmacists and 49% of doctors correctly indicated that there are no absolute contraindications to emergency contraceptive pills other than a contraindication to contraceptive pills. Fifty-four per cent of pharmacists and 35% of doctors agreed that the multiple use of emergency contraceptive pills is risky.
Conclusion: There is an urgent need to improve the knowledge of health-care workers regarding emergency contraception, which forms an important back-up method when existing contraception fails or is not used.