title: Individual and structural influences shaping pharmacists' decisions to sell syringes to injection drug users in Atlanta, Georgia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To better understand the individual (e.g., attitudes and beliefs) and structural (e.g., laws and regulations) factors that influence and shape pharmacists' decisions about selling syringes to injection drug users (IDUs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Metropolitan Atlanta. PARICIPANTS: 20 practicing pharmacists who work in or near areas of high drug use in Atlanta, and nine pharmacists who are considered leaders in their profession in Georgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semistructured, in-depth interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual and structural factors that influence pharmacists' decisions about selling syringes to IDUs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pharmacists reported that they use their professional discretion in making syringe sale decisions and that these decisions are influenced by individuals factors such as their personal attitudes and beliefs about the nature and causes of drug use, and by structural factors such as the Georgia Board of Pharmacy regulation stating that syringes cannot be sold if they will be used for an "unlawful purpose."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IDUs' access to sterile syringes from pharmacies in Atlanta, would likely be increased by (1) providing practicing pharmacists with professional education programs that describe the broad professional support for IDU access to sterile syringes and why blood-borne infection prevention is a legitimate medical purpose for selling syringes and (2) removing or modifying the restrictive Board of Pharmacy regulation governing syringe sales.
authors.affiliation: Georgia Department of Corrections, Atlanta 30334, USA. taussj00@dcor.state.ga.us
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taussig
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Junge
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burris
authors.forename: T Stephen
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Sterk
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005845:Georgia; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013594:Syringes / Q000600:supply & distribution*