Takeaway
- Development of an over-the-counter (OTC) medical abortion product will require improvements in labeling to increase comprehension, especially for lower literacy populations.
Why this matters
- Evidence exists that women can safely self-administer the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol for medication abortion.
- Allowing OTC medical abortion will require that package information is understandable and promotes its safe and effective use.
Study design
- Nonrandomized pilot study with a convenience sample of 100 participants.
- Participants were recruited at malls and shopping centers.
- Interviews were conducted to determine the comprehension of a label prototype for a medical abortion product.
- The primary objective was understanding information on a prototype package label.
- Funding: Ipas, Chapel Hill.
Key results
- Overall, the scores for comprehension of key concepts were "moderate" (number of correct responses to interview questions ranged from 60% to 79%).
- There was some confusion over whether the product was for prevention or was an abortifacient (21%).
- Women with low literacy were more likely to answer incorrectly; this included questions on the method of action and assessing for correct gestational age.
Limitations
- Participants were from 1 country; results may not be generalizable to the United States.
References
References
