Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, PO Box 1882, Abha, 61441, Saudi Arabia.
Ir J Med Sci. 2024 Feb;193(1):497-503. doi: 10.1007/s11845-023-03455-x. Epub 2023 Jul 12.
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services are a crucial provision of public health. The consequences of having suboptimal SRH services include unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions, reproductive cancers, and sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections. This study was conducted to assess the role community pharmacists play in providing SRH, their practices, and their attitudes toward fulfilling the exciting demand.
A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire was used. The study was conducted among community pharmacies across the Asir region.
A total of 196 community pharmacists were included in this study. The majority of pharmacy chains reported selling pregnancy tests (93.9%) compared to independent pharmacies (72.9%), p value (0.0001). Similarly, community pharmacists working in pharmacy chains educated patients on pregnancy tests (78.2%) more often than those working in independent pharmacies (62.6%), p value (0.03). Ovulation tests were sold more frequently in pharmacy chains (74.3%) than in independent pharmacies (52.08%), p value (0.004). Providing education on these products followed the same pattern with (72.9%, 47.9%), respectively, p value (0.003).
The majority of pharmacists reported selling pregnancy tests and ovulation and educated patients regarding both these test kits. However, these services were more widely available in pharmacy chains than in independent pharmacies. Pharmacists exhibited a positive attitude toward SRH, exhibiting social accountability and an ethical responsibility to fulfill their role.
性与生殖健康（SRH）服务是公共卫生的重要内容。SRH 服务欠佳的后果包括意外怀孕、不安全堕胎、生殖系统癌症以及性传播和血液传播感染。本研究旨在评估社区药剂师在提供 SRH 服务方面的作用、他们的实践以及满足这一需求的积极性。
采用横断面、自我管理问卷调查。研究在阿西尔地区的社区药房进行。
共有 196 名社区药剂师参与了这项研究。与独立药房（72.9%）相比，大多数连锁药房报告销售妊娠检测试剂（93.9%），p 值（0.0001）。同样，在连锁药房工作的社区药剂师比在独立药房工作的药剂师更经常教育患者关于妊娠测试（78.2%对 62.6%），p 值（0.03）。连锁药房销售排卵检测试剂的频率（74.3%）高于独立药房（52.08%），p 值（0.004）。关于这些产品的教育也呈现出同样的模式，分别为（72.9%，47.9%），p 值（0.003）。
大多数药剂师报告销售妊娠测试和排卵检测试剂，并对这两种试剂盒对患者进行教育。然而，这些服务在连锁药房比在独立药房更广泛地提供。药剂师对 SRH 持有积极的态度，表现出社会责任感和履行其角色的道德责任。
