title: Protocol for ACCESS: a qualitative study exploring barriers and facilitators to accessing the emergency contraceptive pill from community pharmacies in Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rate of unplanned pregnancy in Australia remains high, which has contributed to Australia having one of the highest abortion rates of developed countries with an estimated 1 in 5 women having an abortion. The emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) offers a safe way of preventing unintended pregnancy after unprotected sex has occurred. While the ECP has been available over-the-counter in Australian pharmacies for over a decade, its use has not significantly increased. This paper presents a protocol for a qualitative study that aims to identify the barriers and facilitators to accessing the ECP from community pharmacies in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data will be collected through one-on-one interviews that are semistructured and in-depth. Partnerships have been established with 2 pharmacy groups and 2 women's health organisations to aid with the recruitment of women and pharmacists for data collection purposes. Interview questions explore domains from the Theoretical Domains Framework in order to assess the factors aiding and/or hindering access to ECP from community pharmacies. Data collected will be analysed using deductive content analysis. The expected benefits of this study are that it will help develop evidence-based workforce interventions to strengthen the capacity and performance of community pharmacists as key ECP providers.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The findings will be disseminated to the research team and study partners, who will brainstorm ideas for interventions that would address barriers and facilitators to access identified from the interviews. Dissemination will also occur through presentations and peer-reviewed publications and the study participants will receive an executive summary of the findings. The study has been evaluated and approved by the Monash Human Research Ethics Committee.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Safeera Yasmeen
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hussainy
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Ayesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taft
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Kirsten Isla
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Sajni
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8727-9435
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gudka
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Deakin University and Flinders University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kevin Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Mc Namara
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
authors.forename: Kath
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: John Keith
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014739:Victoria; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs
keywords: PRIMARY CARE; PUBLIC HEALTH; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE; SEXUAL MEDICINE