Pharmacy access to emergency contraception: Perspectives of pharmacists at a chain pharmacy in San Francisco.
OBJECTIVE
To assess pharmacists' perception of their role in dispensing emergency contraception (EC) in San Francisco.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Community chain pharmacies in San Francisco during summer 2002.


METHODS
76 Walgreens community pharmacists.


METHODS
Self-administered survey mailed to all pharmacists (n = 122) working in all Walgreens units (n = 49) in San Francisco.


METHODS
Pharmacists' attitudes regarding EC provision. Variations in sociodemographic, training, and practice characteristics were tested using chi-square statistics for categorical variables and Student t test for continuous variables.


RESULTS
76 pharmacists (62%) responded to the survey (approximately 50% women and 74% Asian). Knowledge among the pharmacists was very high; most knew the timing of the first dose (95%), the adverse effect of nausea (99%), the effectiveness compared with oral hormonal contraception (92%), that EC offers no protection from sexually transmitted infections (99%), differences from medical abortion (100%), and that EC does not increase the risk of birth defects (100%). Most pharmacists (91%) reported that participation in a direct pharmacy-access program would make them feel more important in their pregnancy prevention role, and nearly all (99%) supported pharmacy-access legislation for EC. Knowledge and attitudes did not differ by highest degree earned, position, age, or sex.


CONCLUSIONS
An assessment of pharmacist experiences in the San Francisco area showed high capability and support for an enhanced professional role regarding EC.
El-Ibiary
Shareen Y
SY
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. elibi-arys@pharmacy.ucsf.edu
Raine
Tina
T
McIntosh
Jennifer
J
Darney
Philip D
PD
Harper
Cynthia C
CC
D000328:Adult; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D010595:Pharmacists; D024382:Professional Role