Primary care services for an emergency department population: a novel location for contraception.

OBJECTIVE

To assess contraceptive provision site preferences in female urban Baltimore emergency department patients.

METHODS

This cross-sectional questionnaire study was completed by 790 women, a population sufficient to detect a 10% intersite difference. The results were analyzed with chi-square, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Obtaining contraception other than from a physician's office was acceptable to 57.2% of the subjects, particularly those uninsured (p=.006) and without primary care providers (p<.001). Contraceptive provision in the emergency department (ED) was acceptable to 44.0%, particularly those who are frequent ED users (p=.003) and those at risk for unintended pregnancy (p=.024; pooled, p<.001). Care in nontraditional settings may preclude pelvic examination; 34.0% of the subjects felt safe obtaining contraception without this examination, significantly for those desiring contraceptive provision in the ED.

CONCLUSION

Contraceptive services are acceptable in nontraditional settings, including the ED, particularly to women of limited resources. This service is acceptable without pelvic examination for a sizable proportion of the women using the ED.