Individual- and neighborhood-level factors associated with nonprescription counseling in pharmacies participating in the New York State Expanded Syringe Access Program.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the individual- and neighborhood-level predictors of frequent nonprescription in-pharmacy counseling.


METHODS
Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study.


METHODS
New York City (NYC) during January 2008 to March 2009.


METHODS
130 pharmacies registered in the Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP) completed a survey.


METHODS
477 pharmacists, nonpharmacist owners/managers, and technicians/clerks.


METHODS
Frequent counseling on medical conditions, health insurance, and other products.


RESULTS
Technicians were less likely than pharmacists to provide frequent counseling on medical conditions or health insurance. Regarding neighborhood-level characteristics, pharmacies in areas of high employment disability were less likely to provide frequent health insurance counseling and pharmacies in areas with higher deprivation were more likely to provide counseling on other products.


CONCLUSIONS
ESAP pharmacy staff members are a frequent source of nonprescription counseling for their patients in disadvantaged neighborhoods of NYC. These findings suggest that ESAP pharmacy staff may be amenable to providing relevant counseling services to injection drug users and warrant further investigation.
Rivera
Alexis V
AV
Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, New York 10029, USA. arivera@nyam.org
Blaney
Shannon
S
Crawford
Natalie D
ND
White
Kellee
K
Stern
Rachel J
RJ
Amesty
Silvia
S
Fuller
Crystal
C
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D009519:New York City; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D010595:Pharmacists; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012931:Social Environment; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013594:Syringes
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs