Standardized Contraceptive Handout Facilitates Contraceptive Counseling

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Effective public provision of contraceptive services depends upon regular interventions at the primary care level. Recognizing the need to improve the frequency and quality of contraceptive counseling at a rural family medicine residency, this study sought to determine if the introduction of a simple teaching tool would lead to an increase in the rates of such counseling. METHODS: Resident physicians at a rural clinic provided contraceptive counseling to all eligible women, utilizing a simple educational table as a teaching aid. Rates of counseling were compared before, during, and after the intervention. RESULTS: A total of 3,606 patient encounters were included for analysis. Rates of contraceptive counseling in the preintervention period (n=832) and postintervention period (n=1,983) increased significantly (0.8% vs 5.2%, P<0.001). In addition, rates of counseling increased from the intervention phase (n=791) to the postintervention period (2.4% vs 5.2%, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The introduction of educational tools may increase rates of contraceptive counseling without being an undue burden upon providers.