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.