A contraception emergency? College students stumble finding info online

Despite being known as the “digital generation,” today’s college students have trouble navigating the Web to get information about how to use and purchase emergency contraception, a new study suggests, LiveScience reports. In the study, about 200 college students were asked what they would do if a friend called them late at night and asked how to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. The students were allowed to search the Web for information to answer the question. Two-thirds were able to conclude that their friend should seek emergency contraception, but fewer than 40 percent gave the ideal answer: to purchase such contraception over-the-counter at a pharmacy.

“These results suggest that despite their highly wired lifestyles, many young adults do not have the necessary skills to navigate the vast amounts of information available online with expertise,” said study researcher Eszter Hargittai, an associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern University.

Being aware of emergency contraception before the study made a big difference, the researchers found……Read More

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