J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2021 Mar-Apr;61(2):e140-e144. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2020.11.012. Epub 2021 Jan 11.
Pharmacist prescription of contraception is becoming increasingly common in the United States (US). Limited information exists on whether this is improving access to contraception in underserved areas, including rural America.
We sought to determine whether there were differences by rural location in pharmacists' willingness to prescribe hormonal contraception and perceived barriers to doing so.
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of pharmacists eligible to prescribe hormonal contraception in New Mexico in March and May 2020. The survey consisted of demographic data, pharmacists' experience prescribing hormonal contraception, and questions regarding perceived barriers to pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception. Descriptive statistics assessed differences in survey responses between rural and urban pharmacists. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the association between rural practice and prescribing hormonal contraception.
Our sampling frame consisted of 822 licensed pharmacists. We received 256 responses, for a response rate of 31.1%. We found that rural pharmacists were as likely as their urban counterparts to prescribe hormonal contraception (adjusted odds ratio 1.22 [95% CI 0.56-2.68], P = 0.50). Five main barriers included a need for additional training, reimbursement for services, liability concerns, corporate policies, and shortage of staff. No difference in barriers were identified by rural location or staff role.
Pharmacy access has the potential to improve access to contraception across New Mexico, including underserved rural areas.
在美国，药剂师开具避孕药的情况越来越普遍。关于这种情况是否能改善服务不足地区（包括美国农村地区）的避孕措施获取情况，相关信息有限。
我们旨在确定在农村地区，药剂师愿意开处激素避孕药的意愿及其认为的相关阻碍是否存在差异。
我们在 2020 年 3 月和 5 月对新墨西哥州有资格开具激素避孕药的药剂师进行了一项横断面调查。该调查包括人口统计学数据、药剂师开处激素避孕药的经验，以及关于药剂师开处激素避孕药的相关阻碍的问题。描述性统计评估了农村和城市药剂师在调查应答中的差异。我们使用多变量逻辑回归来估计农村实践与开处激素避孕药之间的关联。
我们的抽样框架包括 822 名有执照的药剂师。我们收到了 256 份回复，回复率为 31.1%。我们发现，农村药剂师与城市同行一样愿意开处激素避孕药（调整后的优势比 1.22 [95%CI 0.56-2.68]，P=0.50）。五个主要的阻碍因素包括需要额外的培训、服务补偿、责任问题、公司政策和人员短缺。农村地区或人员角色均未发现阻碍因素存在差异。
药房渠道有可能改善新墨西哥州的避孕措施获取，包括服务不足的农村地区。
