Anticoncepção em universitárias no oeste de Santa Catarina

Abstract

Aiming to outline the contraceptive use profile of female university students from a public university in the western Santa Catarina state, this descriptive observational cross-sectional study with prospective data collection was conducted through the application of 471 questionnaires with 15 objective questions from July 2016 to June 2017. The total number of participants was 471 (100%), all female, between 18 and 57 years old, with a prevalence of university students aged 18 to 30 years (n = 420; 89%). It was found that most of the university students use oral contraceptives to prevent pregnancy and to regulate the menstrual cycle. Approximately half of the university students could not answer questions about adverse effects, drug interactions and conduct of use of OAC. The results demonstrated the importance of health education actions which facilitate access to information and are intertwined with comprehensive health care for women.