Outcomes in action: how relevant to clinical practice are health outcome measures such as the rate of unintended pregnancies in young teenagers?

Abstract

Scientific evidence shows that correct contraceptive use will prevent unintended pregnancy and the provision of contraceptives is recognized as a cost-effective intervention. This could encourage health authorities to keep investing more resources in family planning until the target rate of unintended pregnancies is reached, but if this was the only approach taken, the target rate never would be reached. Clinicians and their public health colleagues need to examine their practice in the light of all available evidence. Once desirable changes of practice are identified, local relevant health outcome measures need to be used to assess the effectiveness of the chosen approaches. Blunt factors, such as the unintended pregnancy rate in a city or region, will not suffice to inform individuals whether they are contributing to the overall picture.