CONTRACEPTIVE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF AUSTRIAN ADOLESCENTS AFTER MASS-MEDIA REPORTS LINKING 3RD-GENERATION ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVES WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM

We performed a representative survey to determine the level of knowled ge of 1,010 Austrian adolescents aged 14 to 24 years about selected fa cts relating to the recent massive news coverage of the increase in th e risk of venous thromboembolism in users of third-generation oral con traceptives and to assess the contraceptive behavior of this populatio n. The overall use rate of oral contraceptives and condoms had increas ed significantly between 1991 and 1996. Sixty-six percent of the adole scents surveyed stated not having heard or read any media reports on o ral contraceptives. Only 8% of those who had knew that most reports fo cused on the pill as a possible cause ore venous thromboembolism, wher eas the majority of respondents indicated that the media conveyed doub ts regarding the health safety of oral contraceptives in general. Near ly half of adolescents were unable to define what a thrombosis was. Th us, although the mass media play an important role in transmitting med ical information, the dissemination of practical, accurate advice on t he risks of a drug and competent patient counseling is reserved for th e health care professional. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.