Objectives:

To improve and adapt the prescription of combined oral contraceptives (COC) to adolescents in the Family Health Unit (USF) of Castelo.

Type of study:

Pre-experimental, pre, and post-intervention, without a control group.

Place:

ACeS Arrábida - USF Castelo.

Population:

Adolescents aged 10 to 18 years registered at USF Castelo who use COC.

Methods:

The study was carried out by analysing data on the oestrogen dose of the used COC and the presence or absence of absolute contraindications between February 2019 and February 2020, which allowed classifying adolescents as ‘well’ or ‘badly’ medicated. A first evaluation was carried out in February 2019. This was followed by an intervention consisting of two phases. The first, a clinical session at the USF for doctors and nurses where the pre-intervention data were disclosed and a brief theoretical presentation on the proper use of COC in adolescence was made. The second phase consisted of the supply of pocket-sized memory aids and the display of posters in the offices where family planning consultations take place. The defined outcomes were: a 20% improvement rate of the COC prescription, six months after the intervention; an increase or maintenance of the initial improvement rate, one year after the intervention. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the appropriate pre and post-intervention prescription rates.

Results:

The improvement of COC prescription was achieved in adolescents six months after the intervention (21.6%) although it was not statistically significant (p=0.331). However, thereafter, there was a doubling of the rate of previous appropriate prescriptions, with an improvement rate of 45.6%, statistically significant (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

USF professionals were able to implement strategies and improve the rate of appropriate COC prescriptions in adolescents. The involvement of the entire contraceptive counselling team may have increased the effectiveness of the intervention. Implementing the strategies in only one unit limits the generalization of results. However, simple strategies appear to increase the rate of appropriate COC prescriptions in this age group.

        · resumen en Portugués     · texto en Portugués     · Portugués ( pdf )