title: Provider Opinions Regarding Expanding Access to Hormonal Contraception in Pharmacies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Expanding access to hormonal contraception may reduce the barrier created with the current prescription requirement. The goal of this study was to gain a better understanding of health care providers' opinions on expanding access to hormonal contraception (oral pill, transdermal patch, vaginal ring, and injectable) and the role of pharmacists as direct providers of this reproductive health service.
  
  
  METHODS
  A voluntary, self-administered survey was distributed to participating national professional associations' physician and midlevel provider members who provide reproductive health services. Outcomes of providers' opinions on expanded access to hormonal contraception in pharmacies were analyzed by provider type (n = 482).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost three-quarters (74%) of the 482 providers surveyed, 76% of physicians and 70% of midlevels, were supportive of expanding access for the pill, patch, and ring contraceptives to include pharmacist-initiated access. Despite overall support for pharmacist-initiated access, more than 70% of respondents were concerned that expanded access would result in decreased reproductive health preventive screening. Slightly fewer providers supported or were neutral towards behind-the-counter (65% for pill/patch/ring, 55% injectable) and over-the-counter (47% for pill/patch/ring, 36% injectable) access than for pharmacist-initiated access.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of reproductive health providers support pharmacist-initiated access to the pill, patch, ring, and injectable contraceptives. There is some support for behind-the-counter and over-the-counter access. Provider concerns about lower rates of reproductive health preventive screenings and pharmacist training issues would need to be appropriately addressed along with any policy changes.
authors.affiliation: University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, La Jolla, California. Electronic address: srafie@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rafie
authors.affiliation: University of California San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: University of California San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Erika K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: University of California San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Susannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.affiliation: Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Cynthia C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Harper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003267:Contraception; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010594:Pharmacies; D010595:Pharmacists; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal