- Wayra Luz Tapia Moyano & Pamela Alejandra Escalante Saavedra*
- Postdoctoral Researcher en Asistencia Farmacéutica, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías en Salud, Universidad de Brasília, Brasil; Conselho Federal de Farmácia de Brasil
- DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20170181
Objective: To analyze knowledge and attitudes
regarding the use and mechanism of action of emergency contraception (EC) among
users of a pharmaceutical network in El Alto, Bolivia.
Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and
observational study was conducted in five pharmacy branches during the second
semester of 2023. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was applied to
a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 490 participants. Data were analyzed
using descriptive statistics and exploratory residual analysis (Haberman
residuals) to identify associations between educational level and EC-related
knowledge.
Results: The sample had a mean age of 33.7
years (±8.43), with only 17.1% of participants in the 18–25 age group. Male
participants represented 15.5% of the sample, and 12% declined to state their
sex. While 40.8% reported university-level education, 41.6% reported incomes
below the Bolivian minimum wage (Bs 2,220). Although 67% reported previous use
of EC and 66% stated familiarity with the method, significant gaps were
identified: 51% did not know if EC could replace regular contraception, and
responses regarding fertilization were fragmented. Nausea and vomiting were the
most perceived side effects (37%). Residual analysis indicated significant
associations between education level and knowledge accuracy. All participants
(100%) agreed that more EC information should be disseminated.
Conclusion: Frequent use of EC coexists with critical limitations in reproductive health literacy. The study population, primarily composed of adults in their 30s rather than adolescents, exhibits economic vulnerability and uncertainty regarding the appropriate role of EC. Community pharmacies are strategic settings for educational interventions, provided that counseling involves both partners and addresses identified knowledge gaps. Methodological limitations, such as the convenience sampling and lack of local cultural validation, must be considered.
