Dataset Information

Individual- and neighborhood-level factors associated with nonprescription counseling in pharmacies participating in the New York State Expanded Syringe Access Program.

ABSTRACT: To determine the individual- and neighborhood-level predictors of frequent nonprescription in-pharmacy counseling.Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study.New York City (NYC) during January 2008 to March 2009.130 pharmacies registered in the Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP) completed a survey.477 pharmacists, nonpharmacist owners/managers, and technicians/clerks.Frequent counseling on medical conditions, health insurance, and other products.Technicians were less likely than pharmacists to provide frequent counseling on medical conditions or health insurance. Regarding neighborhood-level characteristics, pharmacies in areas of high employment disability were less likely to provide frequent health insurance counseling and pharmacies in areas with higher deprivation were more likely to provide counseling on other products.ESAP pharmacy staff members are a frequent source of nonprescription counseling for their patients in disadvantaged neighborhoods of NYC. These findings suggest that ESAP pharmacy staff may be amenable to providing relevant counseling services to injection drug users and warrant further investigation.

SUBMITTER: Rivera AV

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3575749 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Individual- and neighborhood-level factors associated with nonprescription counseling in pharmacies participating in the New York State Expanded Syringe Access Program.

Rivera Alexis V AV Blaney Shannon S Crawford Natalie D ND White Kellee K Stern Rachel J RJ Amesty Silvia S Fuller Crystal C

Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA 20100901 5

<h4>Objective</h4>To determine the individual- and neighborhood-level predictors of frequent nonprescription in-pharmacy counseling.<h4>Design</h4>Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting</h4>New York City (NYC) during January 2008 to March 2009.<h4>Intervention</h4>130 pharmacies registered in the Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP) completed a survey.<h4>Participants</h4>477 pharmacists, nonpharmacist owners/managers, and technicians/clerks.<h4>Main outcome measures</ ...[more]

PMID: 20833615

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Project description:ObjectivesCalifornia Senate Bill 41 (SB41), effective January 2012, is a human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus prevention measure designed to expand syringe access among injection drug users (IDUs) by allowing pharmacies to sell syringes without a prescription. This study assesses self-reported implementation of SB41 and characterizes barriers amenable to intervention.DesignInterviewer-administered survey.Setting and participantsFresno and Kern Counties, CA. Pharmacists and other pharmacy staff (n = 404) at 212 pharmacies.Outcome measureSelf-reported nonprescription pharmacy sales to known or suspected IDUs.ResultsOverall, 29.3% of participants said their pharmacy would sell nonprescription syringes to a known or suspected IDU, whereas a far higher proportion (79.3%) would sell nonprescription syringes to a person with diabetes. More than one-half said that their pharmacy requires nonprescription syringe purchasers to enter their signature and name and address in a log book although that is not required under SB41. Fewer than 2 out of 3 participants (61.1%) knew that it is legal to sell nonprescription syringes to IDUs. That knowledge, as well as having syringe sales practices based on both store policy and discretion, were positively associated with IDU syringe sales after controlling for other factors. Working at an independent pharmacy, agreeing that only people with "medical conditions" such as diabetes should be able to buy syringes, and viewing syringe sales to IDUs as "not good business" were independently but negatively associated with IDU syringe sales.ConclusionThis study complements an earlier syringe purchase trial documenting low participation in voluntary nonprescription syringe sales under SB41 in Fresno and Kern Counties. In the absence of legislation requiring mandatory syringe sales, interventions should be developed to increase knowledge of the law and frame addiction as a medical condition, with a special focus on independent pharmacies. Informational interventions should stress the need to eliminate log book documentation requirements, which may serve as a barrier to IDU purchase.

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Dataset Information

Individual- and neighborhood-level factors associated with nonprescription counseling in pharmacies participating in the New York State Expanded Syringe Access Program.

Publications

Individual- and neighborhood-level factors associated with nonprescription counseling in pharmacies participating in the New York State Expanded Syringe Access Program.

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