KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND INTENTIONS OF AMERICAN WOMEN REGARDING THE HORMONAL IMPLANT

Less than one-half of a national sample of 20-37-year-old women survey ed in 1991 report having been aware of the hormonal contraceptive impl ant within the year following its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug A dministration; there is considerable variation between groups of women in levels of awareness and in knowledge of the implant's attributes. Nearly one-third of the women surveyed say they intend to use such a m ethod in the future. Subgroups with the greatest potential interest in using this method are young women, single women, those who already ha ve a child and those who would like to postpone their next birth for s everal years or want to have no more children. Women who are using coi tal methods of contraception and those not using any method are more l ikely than others to express interest in using the implant. Interest i n using the implant also increases with knowledge of the characteristi cs of this contraceptive method.