title: Geographical access to community pharmacies in New Zealand.
abstract: Geographic access to community pharmacies is an important aspect of access to appropriate medicines. This study aimed to explore changes in the number and location of pharmacies in New Zealand and determine whether some populations have poor geographical access to pharmacies. Pharmacy numbers in New Zealand have been declining since the mid-1980s, and, adjusted for population growth, there are now only half the number there was in 1965. While the urbanisation of pharmacies has been matched by loss of population in rural areas, the loss of pharmacies from smaller rural towns leaves many people with poor access to pharmacy services.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: pauline.norris@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: simon.horsburgh@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horsburgh
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: geraldnz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sides
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. Electronic address: sanya.ram@auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Sanya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: john.fraser@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fraser
mesh_terms: D062306:Geography, Medical; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D009520:New Zealand; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D012424:Rural Population
keywords: Community pharmacy; Geographic access; Policy; Socio-economic position