The Comparison Effect of three Different Communicating Figures on Women's understanding about Contraceptive Effectiveness at Tabriz Public Health Centers /Posts, 2010: A Clinical Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Increasing the understanding of women about effectiveness of methods, can lead to their informed and correct choice and consequently lead to use of more effective methods and reduce unwanted pregnancies and adverse outcomes. The aim of this research to compare effects three different approaches to increase women's understanding of effectiveness of contraceptive methods. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 630 women of reproductive age attending to the 33 selected health centers in Tabriz city were randomly recruited to one of three groups. Participants before and while reviewing the figure, answered to three questions about the effectiveness of contraceptive methods and percentage of correct answers to these questions was compared. One month later, the same three questions were asked from participants through phone calls and answers were written. The data were analyzed using with chi –square, ANOVA and Mc-Nemar' test in SPSS13. Results: The most important reasons for choosing contraceptive methods were there effectiveness of the method (45.4%), ease of use (17.9%) and then its side effects (14%). Before offering the figures, participant's information about the effectiveness of the methods was poor. Correct answers to each of the questions about comparing the effectiveness of oral pills vs. that of condoms, IUD vs. injection methods (49.1%), condoms vs. withdrawal methods were 51.5%. While reviewing the figures, the percentages significantly (p<0.001) increased and reached to 79.4% and 83.3% and 84.9%, respectively. In the other month understanding of women was promoted and this promotion in two groups of categories and continuum chain was meaningful, but was not meaningful in groups of numbers and categories. Understanding of women about second question was promoted too. This promotion and in each of three groups was meaningful. About third question so promotion was not seen. This promotion only in group of numbers and categories was meaningful (p=0.043) and in two groups of categories and continuum chain wasn't meaningful (p=0.9). All three figures almost equally increased the correct responds to the questions. Conclusion: The three figures had considerable and nearly identical effects of the promotion on the women's understanding about effectiveness of the contraceptive methods. Therefore, appropriate use of the figures is required during counseling sessions for contraceptive choice because it is impossible to have informed choice of the method without understanding of their effectiveness.