That’s A Whole ‘Nother Ball Game: Community Pharmacists’ Perceived Benefits and Barriers to Prescribing Contraception in Appalachian Tennessee and Virginia
Location
D.P. Culp Center Ballroom
Start Date
4-5-2024 9:00 AM
End Date
4-5-2024 11:30 AM
Poster Number
27
Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor
KariLynn Dowling-McClay
Faculty Sponsor's Department
Pharmacy Practice
Competition Type
Competitive
Type
Poster Presentation
Presentation Category
Health
Abstract or Artist's Statement
Hormonal contraceptives are commonly used to prevent pregnancy, manage menstrual cycles, and meet other women’s health needs. However, access to reproductive health services remains inconsistent and in need of expansion. In the U.S., 26 states have implemented legislation allowing pharmacists to prescribe certain contraceptives to patients without requiring a visit to a doctor for a prescription. This advancement in pharmacy practice is potentially beneficial to patients seeking contraceptives but requires buy-in from pharmacists who would offer the service, an issue examined by researchers in this key informant interview study. Licensed community pharmacists working in Appalachian counties in Tennessee or Virginia were eligible for study inclusion. Directories of community pharmacies in the target counties were randomized and contacted for pharmacist recruitment. Interviews were scheduled using a scripted invitation, conducted via phone or an online platform, and audio recorded following verbal consent by participants. Semi-structured interview guides were used to determine participants’ knowledge, attitude, and beliefs about pharmacist prescribed contraception (PPC) in conversations lasting between 8 and 33 minutes. Each participant was given a $30 gift card following completion of the interview. Audio recordings were transcribed and de-identified using a professional transcription service. Responses were coded and thematically analyzed to determine pharmacists’ perceived benefits and barriers to offering PPC services. Nine Tennessee pharmacists and six Virginia pharmacists were interviewed. Ease of pharmacy access and convenience of PPC services were commonly described as benefits for patients. Several participants also perceived PPC as an innovation beneficial to the profession of pharmacy. Pharmacy work environment factors including time constraints, staffing and workflow challenges, finances, and lack of electronic health record integration were commonly identified as barriers to offering PPC. There was some variation in the perceived severity of these issues based on the type of pharmacy (retail chain or independent) the respondent worked in. In addition to work environment concerns, participants frequently described stress about adding tasks to their work responsibilities, fear of patient harm and liability issues, and discomfort related to offering PPC services. Most respondents were unprepared to offer PPC on the day of the interview and cited additional training as necessary to increase their comfort with PPC services. The findings suggest pharmacists in Appalachian Tennessee and Virginia may view PPC as a beneficial service for patients but are hesitant to participate due to work environment constraints, liability concerns, and inadequate training. If PPC is to be a feasible expansion of women’s health services in the Appalachian region, strategies to overcome these perceived barriers for community pharmacists should be prioritized.
That’s A Whole ‘Nother Ball Game: Community Pharmacists’ Perceived Benefits and Barriers to Prescribing Contraception in Appalachian Tennessee and Virginia
D.P. Culp Center Ballroom
Hormonal contraceptives are commonly used to prevent pregnancy, manage menstrual cycles, and meet other women’s health needs. However, access to reproductive health services remains inconsistent and in need of expansion. In the U.S., 26 states have implemented legislation allowing pharmacists to prescribe certain contraceptives to patients without requiring a visit to a doctor for a prescription. This advancement in pharmacy practice is potentially beneficial to patients seeking contraceptives but requires buy-in from pharmacists who would offer the service, an issue examined by researchers in this key informant interview study. Licensed community pharmacists working in Appalachian counties in Tennessee or Virginia were eligible for study inclusion. Directories of community pharmacies in the target counties were randomized and contacted for pharmacist recruitment. Interviews were scheduled using a scripted invitation, conducted via phone or an online platform, and audio recorded following verbal consent by participants. Semi-structured interview guides were used to determine participants’ knowledge, attitude, and beliefs about pharmacist prescribed contraception (PPC) in conversations lasting between 8 and 33 minutes. Each participant was given a $30 gift card following completion of the interview. Audio recordings were transcribed and de-identified using a professional transcription service. Responses were coded and thematically analyzed to determine pharmacists’ perceived benefits and barriers to offering PPC services. Nine Tennessee pharmacists and six Virginia pharmacists were interviewed. Ease of pharmacy access and convenience of PPC services were commonly described as benefits for patients. Several participants also perceived PPC as an innovation beneficial to the profession of pharmacy. Pharmacy work environment factors including time constraints, staffing and workflow challenges, finances, and lack of electronic health record integration were commonly identified as barriers to offering PPC. There was some variation in the perceived severity of these issues based on the type of pharmacy (retail chain or independent) the respondent worked in. In addition to work environment concerns, participants frequently described stress about adding tasks to their work responsibilities, fear of patient harm and liability issues, and discomfort related to offering PPC services. Most respondents were unprepared to offer PPC on the day of the interview and cited additional training as necessary to increase their comfort with PPC services. The findings suggest pharmacists in Appalachian Tennessee and Virginia may view PPC as a beneficial service for patients but are hesitant to participate due to work environment constraints, liability concerns, and inadequate training. If PPC is to be a feasible expansion of women’s health services in the Appalachian region, strategies to overcome these perceived barriers for community pharmacists should be prioritized.