Crisis Pregnancy Agency launches new “Think Contraception” Campaign
20th October – 2008: The Crisis Pregnancy Agency today launched a new sexual health promotion campaign to encourage consistent use of contraception among sexually active young adults. Large-scale research commissioned by the Agency, has shown that among 18 – 25 year olds, 26% did not report consistent use of contraception in the last year, (ICCP, 2004). The new Think Contraception campaign aims to encourage young men and women, the vast majority of whom, have had sexual intercourse by the time they reach 25, to plan for, and consistently use contraception.
The campaign promotes the message that ‘Nobody else is going to do the thinking for you’ with regards to contraceptive use. The campaign aims to counteract the inconsistency of contraceptive use which is a key contributor to crisis pregnancy. The campaign will focus on promoting the thinkcontraception.ie website as a key educational tool which will provide information on all aspects of sexual health in an interactive and user-friendly manner. Thinkcontraception.ie is a comprehensive resource which contains interactive information on contraception, sexual health, fertility and sexually transmitted infections as well as a sexual health quiz.
The new Think Contraception campaign is primarily aimed at 18-24 year olds and incorporates TV, radio, convenience and online advertising in addition to a new website, leaflet and a promotional item to address the first of the Agency’s mandates: a reduction in the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of education, advice and contraceptive services. 42% of 18-25 year olds who had experienced a pregnancy reported it as a crisis (ICCP, 2004): young people aged 20-29 have the highest rate of sexually transmitted infections (Health Protection Surveillance Centre, 2008).
Launching the new campaign, Katharine Bulbulia, Chair of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency said: “The new Think Contraception campaign addresses many of the findings of Irish research in this area and highlights the importance of correctly and consistently using contraception to prevent unplanned pregnancies and protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).”
The new campaign will adopt a more direct approach than the previous Think Contraception advertising, and will identify contraceptive methods for the first time. The Agency has a self-imposed watershed of 9pm on the campaign. The Agency has worked with both the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) to redevelop the thinkcontraception.ie website and provide more comprehensive information on contraception and STIs.
Caroline Spillane, Director of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency said: “The new Think Contraception campaign aims to encourage young men and women to take personal responsibility for their sexual health with the message that ‘Nobody else is going to do the thinking for you.’”
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Editor’s Notes:
1. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA) was established in 2001 and is mandated to provide for:
A) A reduction in the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of education, advice and contraceptive services
B) A reduction in the number of women with crisis pregnancies who opt for abortion by offering services and support which make other options more attractive
C) The provision of counselling services, medical services and other health services for the purpose of providing support, after crisis pregnancy, as may be deemed appropriate by the Agency.
2. Since the launch of the Think Contraception Campaign in 2004:
• Over 550,000 Think Contraception promotional items, containing a mini sexual health information leaflet and individually boxed condom have been distributed at music festivals, sporting events, pubs, clubs and student centres.
• Over 450,000 Think Contraception information leaflets have been distributed at pharmacies, GPs and Student Health Centres.
3. The Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy (ICCP) Study in 2004, found that of 18-25 year olds 26% did not report consistent use of contraception in the last year; and 42% of 18-25 year olds who had experienced a pregnancy reported it as a crisis.
4. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency is working with the Department of Education and Science and the HSE on a Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Pack, to support the delivery of the RSE programme to senior cycle students. The DVD and lesson plans will cover a range of topics including relationships, decision making, contraception and sexual health. In addition to this project, the Department of Education and Science has undertaken a range of initiatives to support the delivery of RSE in second-level schools.
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