Knowledge about the intrauterine device and interest in using it among women users of primary care services.
Ana Luiza Vilela Borges, Karina Simão Araújo, Osmara Alves Dos Santos and 3 others
PMID 32074205WHAT IT FOUND
Only 7.2% of Brazilian women answered all six IUD knowledge questions correctly.
Higher knowledge was linked to more interest in using an IUD, so counselling may need to address myths.
Key findings
01Only 7.2% of women answered all six IUD knowledge items correctly, and 15.3% answered all six incorrectly.
0238.0% of women who had never used an IUD were interested in using one in the future, while 58.7% said they would not.
03Higher IUD knowledge was associated with greater interest in using an IUD.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Cross-sectional design cannot show that knowledge causes interest or that counselling changes behaviour. Women were not randomly selected at the second stage; they were approached while waiting for smear tests, consultations or other services, so the sample may not represent all women. The study excluded women who had never heard of the IUD and those using permanent contraception, which may overestimate current or previous IUD use. The knowledge items were not recommended by the authors as a validated scale for other studies. Findings are from three Brazilian cities in 2015 to 2017 and may not apply elsewhere.
Declared interests
Supported by CNPq and FAPESP; the article does not report other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that counselling will increase IUD uptake. This was a cross-sectional survey showing an association, not a tested intervention.