Increased access to unrestricted pharmacy sales of syringes in Seattle-King County, Washington: structural and individual-level changes, 1996 versus 2003.
We examined pharmacists' attitudes and practices related to syringe sales to injection drug users before and after legal reform and local programming to enhance sterile syringe access. We replicated a 1996 study by conducting pharmacist phone surveys and syringe test-buys in randomly selected pharmacies. Test-buy success increased from 48% in 1996 to 65% in 2003 (P=.04). Pharmacists agreeing that syringes should be available to injection drug users through pharmacy purchase increased from 49% to 71% (P<.01). Pharmacy policies and pharmacist attitudes were strongly associated with syringe access. Structural changes, including policy reform and pharmacy outreach, appear to increase syringe access. Interventions should address pharmacy policies and pharmacist attitudes and policies.
Deibert
Ryan J
RJ
Health Services Department, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. ryan.j.deibert@state.or.us
Goldbaum
Gary
G
Parker
Theodore R
TR
Hagan
Holly
H
Marks
Robert
R
Hanrahan
Michael
M
Thiede
Hanne
H
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D016134:Organizational Policy; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013242:Sterilization; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013594:Syringes / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D014861:Washington
D017744:Medical Waste Disposal