THE 1995 PILL SCARE - WOMENS PERCEPTIONS OF RISK AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The findings from a rapid assessment survey conducted in the immediate aftermath of the October 1995 'pill alert' reveal the reactions of wo men to the public announcement of increased risks associated with cert ain brands of contraceptive pill, One thousand three hundred and thirt y four responses were received from women who had previously been usin g combined oral contraceptives containing gestodene and desogestrel, T hese findings indicate women's perceptions of the risks in the light o f the announcement, their reported changes in the confidence they had in the pill they were using, their intentions in terms of the actions they wish to discuss with their doctors, and their use of different so urces of information. The results confirm current perceptions of the c onsiderable disquiet experienced by large numbers of women as a result of the 'alert', and the central role of the media (in different forms ) in channelling risk information to women.