Emergency Contraceptive Pills: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns among Certified Nurse-Midwives in North Carolina

Nearly half of the pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended, and emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) have emerged as an important method for the prevention of unintended pregnancy. Despite the potential benefits of ECPs, they remain underused. The primary purpose of this study was to learn about ECP knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns among certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) in North Carolina. The secondary purposes were to describe characteristics of CNMs practicing in North Carolina, and the contraceptive methods other than ECPs that they discuss with and prescribe for their patients. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional, confidential, self-administered mail questionnaire completed by 139 CNMs (73% response rate) in clinical practice in North Carolina. The majority of the CNMs worked in private practice settings (67%) in urban areas (60%). The median number of women seen weekly for gynecologic care was 15 (range 0-80), and the discussion and provision of contraceptive methods by the CNMs was comprehensive. All of the CNMs reported being somewhat (49%) or very (51%) knowledgeable about ECPs. Accuracy of ECP knowledge, as determined by a seven-item index, was high among 59% of participants and low among 41%. A small percentage of CNMs thought that ECPs encourage irresponsible behavior (12%) and that women will rely on ECPs as a regular form of contraception (4%). Half (50%) of the CNMs thought ECPs should be available over-the-counter. The majority of the CNMs discussed and prescribed ECPs (92%) though many did so only when the client requested. Over half (53%) of the CNMs identified one or more limitations to discussing ECPs. Attitudes toward ECPs and the frequency of ECP discussion and prescription were associated with accuracy of ECP knowledge. The CNMs in this study frequently provided gynecologic care and offered a range of contraceptive options. Their ECP attitudes and practice patterns were associated with the accuracy of their ECP knowledge. The information gained from this study can be used to develop and evaluate an educational intervention to increase discussion and prescription of ECPs.Doctor of Public Healt

Addictions Content Published in Counseling Journals: A 10-Year Content Analysis to Inform Research and Practice

This content analysis includes 210 articles that focused on addictions topics published between January 2005 and December 2014 in the journals of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), Chi Sigma Iota (CSI), the American Counseling Association (ACA), and ACA member divisions. Results include the types of addictions content and behaviors studied as well as the populations and data analytic techniques used in the addictions research articles. Whereas most articles discussed addictions counseling techniques, addictions issues among non-clinical populations, and professional practice issues, fewer articles addressed clients in treatment, utilized clinical populations, or analyzed intervention outcomes. Implications for addictive behaviors and addictions counseling scholarship in professional counseling are discussed

Anything you can do I can do better: an exploration of the experiences and perceptions of drinking and gender identity in the drinking choices of college women

College drinking is a focus of national attention due to its widespread impact on academic, social, interpersonal, and health domains of student life. Although men have historically had higher rates of drinking than women, college is a developmental time frame in which women's drinking rates have increased (Johnston, O'Malley, Bachman, & Shulenberg, 2011; Wechsler et al., 2002). The substance abuse literature has been dominated by studies of men's behavior and risk factors (Covington & Surrey, 1997; Linowski, 2004; NIAAA, 2002; Plant, 2008; Ricciardelli, Connor, Williams, & Young, 2001; Russett, 2008; Smith & Berger, 2010; Smith & Weisner, 2000) and has been stunted by the lack of attention to how women may approach drinking differently than men. Drinking increases need attention because college women are at risk of experiencing consequences from high risk drinking and, as gender roles continue to evolve toward a more egalitarian orientation, current female college students may be influenced by different gender identity expectations than females in previous generations. Researchers have only begun to frame the relationship between gender role, gender identity, and drinking (Huselid & Cooper, 1992; Peralta, Steele, Nofziger, & Rickles, 2010; Smith, Toadvine, & Kennedy, 2009). Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to gain the college female perspective on how experiences and perceptions of drinking and gender identity may contribute to drinking choices. Qualitative data from two focus groups and two individual interviews with a total of nine participants were analyzed employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Though there were similarities across all participants regarding their drinking experiences and their perceptions of gender identity, IPA yielded different themes among High Risk vs. Low Risk drinkers. Specifically, an association between how women think of themselves, their Gender Identity, was different for High Risk drinkers than for Low Risk drinkers. High Risk participants tended to identify more with being female and expressing femininity, whereas Low Risk drinkers did not place much importance on this part of their identity. Similarities and contrasts are discussed in light of the previous research, implications for counselors and counselor educators are highlighted, and areas for future research are recommended