title: How youth-friendly are pharmacies in New Zealand? Surveying aspects of accessibility and the pharmacy environment using a youth participatory approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The international youth population has significant unmet health needs, and there have been many calls to increase youth health care access. Community pharmacies may be able to help address these needs, but very little research has investigated this area and it is not known whether the current community pharmacy setting is acceptable or appropriate for youth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  1) To obtain information on physical factors which could affect young people's use of community pharmacies in New Zealand, including accessibility, opening times and the physical youth-friendliness of the pharmacy environment. 2) To involve and utilize young people in the research process, in order to understand their needs and interpretation of survey data.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study applied a cross sectional survey design, informed by a sequential youth participatory approach. A questionnaire was developed in consultation with a youth advisory group (YAG). Questionnaires distributed to pharmacists at 500 randomly selected pharmacies nationwide between May and September 2011 collected information on whether the pharmacy met selected youth-friendly criteria. These included physical aspects of youth-friendliness, such as opening times and the pharmacy environment. The YAG also provided a youth perspective in the interpretation of the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three mail shots achieved a response rate of 50.5%. Most respondents reported the pharmacy to be accessible by public transport and many had extended opening hours. Although most pharmacies met some youth-friendly criteria with regards to the pharmacy environment (e.g. having a private consultation area), more specific criteria (such as displaying youth health information) were usually not met. Interpretive feedback from the YAG highlighted areas for improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacies show potential as youth-friendly health care access points and most already meet some youth-friendly criteria. Areas identified for improvement will require a greater youth focus from the profession, and should be undertaken in consultation with young people. We recommend the use of youth participation approaches in future pharmacy practice research into youth health services.
authors: School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: ehor011@aucklanduni.ac.nz.
authors: Emma
authors: E
authors: Horsfield
authors: School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Fiona
authors: F
authors: Kelly
authors: The Adolescent Health Research Group, School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Terryann
authors: T
authors: Clark
authors: School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Janie
authors: J
authors: Sheridan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000328:Adult; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Community pharmacies; Pharmacists; Pharmacy; Young people; Youth health