Pharmacy provision of emergency contraception to men: a survey of pharmacist attitudes in Rhode Island.
OBJECTIVE
To describe pharmacy staff members' attitudes and practices related to male emergency contraception (EC) requests, as well as the occurrence of male purchases in Rhode Island.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Pharmacies throughout Rhode Island during April to August 2008.


METHODS
226 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.


METHODS
Participants were mailed a 21-item closed-ended questionnaire.


METHODS
Demographics, EC provision practices, recall of male EC purchases, and attitudes toward male EC access.


RESULTS
Of 151 pharmacies surveyed, 91 responded, providing 226 individual pharmacy staff member surveys. Among this population, 95.6% sold EC. Although 59.7% believed male EC purchases occurred rarely, 63.3% sold EC to a man in the previous year. Ten (4.4%) respondents refused sale of EC to a man. Respondents were less likely to agree that men should always have access if they also believed that access would decrease regular contraceptive use (P = 0.008) and if they could not verify the female recipient's consent (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Pharmacists and technicians commonly believed that male EC purchases did not occur or occurred rarely; however, more than one-half of this population sold EC to men. Although the majority expressed personal reservations against providing EC to men, they still agreed that men should have access to EC. These findings suggest that pharmacies are an acceptable setting for male EC access and that although refusal exists, it may not be a barrier to access.
Nguyen
Brian T
BT
Warren Alpert Medical School, Division of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912-9107, USA. brian_nguyen@brown.edu
Zaller
Nickolas
N
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D056864:Behind-the-Counter Drugs; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010596:Pharmacy Technicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012237:Rhode Island; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D056864:Behind-the-Counter Drugs; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital