title: ["Hormone bomb": risks of emergency contraception from the perspective of pharmacy attendants in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].
abstract: This study focused on views towards emergency contraception among pharmacy attendants in Greater Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The empirical material came from a socio-anthropological study with 20 semi-structured interviews of pharmacy attendants of both sexes (8 females and 12 males). The interviews showed negative views of emergency contraception, emphasizing its potential health risks. Interviews considered emergency contraception a "hormone bomb" that can harm the female reproductive organs and other organ systems. The pharmacy attendants highlighted the risks of "uncontrolled" or "indiscriminate" use, especially by adolescents and young women. Since they considered it "dangerous" to women's bodies, they assigned the responsibility for orientation and counseling on use of the method to gynecologists rather than to pharmacists. The article discusses the need to expand the public debate on emergency contraception in Brazil to include pharmacists and pharmacy attendants, in addition to health professionals in general and teachers.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estudos em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Elaine Reis
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cristiane da Silva
authors.initials: Cda S
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estudos em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Serviço Social, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sabrina Pereira
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estudos em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luiza Lena
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Naira Villas Boas Vidal de
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estudos em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Iolanda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Szabo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services; D060728:Reproductive Health; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital