Pharmacy workers' sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus knowledge in Fuzhou, China: implications for human immunodeficiency virus testing, treatment, and prevention strategies.
BACKGROUND
Pharmacies play a special role in providing treatment services for patients with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in China. There is a need to study the STD/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge among pharmacy workers in retail pharmacies.


METHODS
A total of 200 pharmacy workers were recruited from 120 randomly selected retail pharmacies in Fuzhou, China. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect information of demographics, working experience, pharmacy structure and clientele profile, and pharmacy workers' attitudes toward traditional Chinese folk remedies and their STD/HIV knowledge.


RESULTS
Work-related training during the past 6 months, holding pharmacist license, and years of being a pharmacy worker showed significant association with STD/HIV knowledge. Work-related training also significantly associated with provision of consultation. Years of education and medical training, however, failed to show significant association with STD/HIV knowledge.


CONCLUSIONS
In order to improve service quality and avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment of STD/HIV, on-the-job training or continuous education for pharmacy workers should be required, implemented, and monitored as part of the national effort for STD control and treatment.
Wen
Yi
Y
Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Center for Community Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA. fuwenyi@gmail.com
Guan
Jihui
J
Wu
Zunyou
Z
Li
Li
L
Rotheram-Borus
Mary Jane
MJ
Lin
Chunqing
C
Detels
Roger
R
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult