The acceptability of offering emergency contraception to domestic violence shelter clients

Yantz, Laura

Saturday, March 21, 2015: 11:25 AM-12:45 PM

Room 4 (Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel)

Speaker:
Laura Yantz, MPH, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Authors:
Janice Goldsborough, MS, BS, AS, Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
Virginia Duplessis, MSW, Futures Without Violence
Rebecca Dick, MS, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

Presentation Format:
Scientific Program Report

Learning Objectives:

Learn about the methods used to provide EC to shelter clients when needed and analysis tools used to assess provider comfort levels and client satisfaction of offering EC.
Understand the outcomes resulting from the provider and client surveys.
Gain information about key findings from the client satisfaction surveys, to help inform DV shelters in other locations planning to offer EC in the future.

Description:
This pilot study assessed the acceptability and feasibility of offering emergency contraception (EC) to women during domestic violence shelter intake. Provider surveys assessed staff perceptions and comfort levels of offering EC to clients. During a 6-week period, all shelter clients completed an exit survey to assess their satisfaction of the availability of pregnancy tests and EC. Offering pregnancy testing and EC in shelter was met with great acceptance among both shelter staff and clients.