title: Injectable contraceptive sales at licensed chemical seller shops in ghana: access and reported use in rural and periurban communities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most women in Ghana obtain oral contraceptives and condoms from shops run by licensed chemical sellers, but such shops are not legally permitted to sell the country's most widely used method, the injectable. Allowing shops to sell the injectable could increase access to and use of the method.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2012-2013, semistructured telephone interviews were conducted among convenience samples of 94 licensed chemical seller shop operators in two districts who were trained to sell the injectable and of 298 women who purchased the method from these shops. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 92 clients approximately three months after their initial injectable purchase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-seven percent of shop operators reported selling the injectable, and 94% felt sufficiently trained to provide family planning methods and services. Virtually all sellers (99%) referred clients to a hospital or health facility for injection; none provided injections themselves. Fifty-six percent of injectable clients were new family planning users. Of those who completed a follow-up interview, 79% had purchased the injectable again from a shop. Virtually all clients (97%) reported getting their injection at the health facility to which they were referred by the seller. Women cited trust, convenience and commodities being in stock as key reasons for purchasing from a shop.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Licensed chemical seller shop operators can safely sell the injectable and refer clients to health facilities for screening, counseling and injection.
authors.affiliation: Senior Technical Officer, PROGRESS Project, FHI 360, Durham, NC, USA, elebetkin@fhi360.org.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lebetkin
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Orr
authors.forename: Kafui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dzasi
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Keyes
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shelus
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mensah
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stanback
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000592:standards / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008004:Licensure / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000592:standards / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate