title: Nicotine replacement therapy, tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes in pharmacies in St. Louis, Missouri.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare availability of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in pharmacies in St. Louis, MO.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study, on-site store audits of 322 pharmacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  St. Louis, MO.
  
  
  METHODS
  242 eligible community pharmacies located in the study area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pharmacies were visited by trained research assistants who conducted a 5- to 10-minute store audit using a paper-based data collection tool.
  
  
  METHODS
  Availability, accessibility, and pricing of NRT as a function of neighborhood poverty rate and proportion of black residents as well as availability of tobacco products and e-cigarettes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NRT availability decreased as neighborhood poverty rate increased (P = 0.02). Availability without pharmacy personnel assistance also decreased with increasing poverty rate (r = -0.19; 95% CI = -0.06, -0.31) and higher percentage of black residents (r = -0.18; 95% CI = -0.06, -0.31). Prices were lower in neighborhoods with higher poverty rates (P = 0.02) and a higher percentage of black residents (P = 0.03). E-cigarettes were available in 43% of pharmacies, and their availability and price did not differ by poverty rate or percentage of black residents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low access to NRT might perpetuate smoking disparities in disadvantaged and racially diverse neighborhoods. Study data support policies to ensure equal NRT access to reduce disparities.
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnoya
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Karen Suchanek
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hudmon
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schootman
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000191:economics; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011203:Poverty; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists