West Virginia University, Department of Family Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA.
West Virginia University, Department of Family Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Sex Reprod Healthc. 2022 Sep;33:100765. doi: 10.1016/j.srhc.2022.100765. Epub 2022 Aug 22.
Access to levonorgestrel (LNG) emergency contraception (EC) has increased since the FDA removed age restrictions on over-the-counter (OTC) LNG EC in 2013, but availability is highly variable and numerous barriers to access remain. The purpose of this study was to assess availability and accessibility of LNG EC at community pharmacies in West Virginia (WV).
A mystery caller cross-sectional study was conducted to assess availability and accessibility of LNG EC. Inquiries were made by identified 'research' staff and by staff presenting as a 16 y/o.
Nearly half of community pharmacies reported having LNG EC in stock. Pharmacy staff were significantly more likely to tell research callers LNG EC was in stock (53%) and more likely to report willingness to order it (50%) than 'teen' callers (45% and 34%, respectively). There was no significant difference between caller types on the five barriers assessed.
Lack of availability may contribute to teen and unintended pregnancies.
自 2013 年 FDA 取消左炔诺孕酮（LNG）紧急避孕（EC）的年龄限制以来，获得 LNG EC 的途径有所增加，但可用性差异很大，并且仍然存在许多获取障碍。本研究旨在评估西弗吉尼亚州（WV）社区药房 LNG EC 的供应情况和可及性。
通过识别的“研究”人员和伪装成 16 岁的人员进行神秘电话者横断面研究，以评估 LNG EC 的供应情况和可及性。
近一半的社区药房报告有 LNG EC 库存。与“青少年”来电者（分别为 45%和 34%）相比，药房工作人员更有可能告诉研究来电者 LNG EC 有库存（53%），并且更有可能表示愿意订购（50%）。在评估的五个障碍方面，来电者类型之间没有显着差异。
缺乏供应可能导致青少年和意外怀孕。
