Perceptions of contraceptive effectiveness and health effects of oral contraception

Analyzes questionnaire data from 336 female students at Brown U (Providence, RI) to assess beliefs about the effectiveness, health risks, & benefits of oral contraceptives, hypothesizing that misperceptions about all three beliefs persist. Findings indicated that, even among educated women, the majority hold misperceptions concerning the reliability of all birth control methods, the risks of pregnancy, & the health effects of oral contraceptives. Respondents greatly overestimated the failure rates of the four major nonhormonal methods & revealed a significant lack of awareness of the health risks associated with hormonal, methods, eg, breast, uterine, & ovarian cancer; anemia; & ectopic pregnancy. 2 Tables, 3 Figures, 11 References. D. Bajo