Emergency contraceptive pills: a 10-year follow-up survey of use and experiences at college health centers in the mid-Atlantic United States

The authors conducted a 10-year follow-up study using a telephone survey to investigate the availability of emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) at college health centers in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. They also examined related issues, such as distribution procedure, existence of a written protocol, personnel involved, contraindications, follow-up procedures, methods of advertising, staff attitudes, changes in distribution over the past 10 years, and availability if ECPs become over-the-counter. Of the 119 completed responses, 58 schools (49%) reported distributing ECPs. The most common reasons schools listed for not distributing ECPs (n = 61, 51%) were religious convictions, understaffing, and lack of funding. Major changes in ECP distribution over the past 10 years related primarily to the number of schools distributing ECPs, protocol in ECP distribution, and advertising for ECP services.