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Self-reported participation in voluntary nonprescription syringe sales in California's Central Valley.
- Source :
- Journal of the American Pharmacists Association: JAPhA; Nov2017, Vol. 57 Issue 6, p677-685, 9p
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- <bold>Objectives: </bold>California 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.<bold>Design: </bold>Interviewer-administered survey.<bold>Setting and Participants: </bold>Fresno and Kern Counties, CA. Pharmacists and other pharmacy staff (n = 404) at 212 pharmacies.<bold>Outcome Measure: </bold>Self-reported nonprescription pharmacy sales to known or suspected IDUs.<bold>Results: </bold>Overall, 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.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>This 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- NONPRESCRIPTION drugs
SYRINGES
PATIENT participation
INTRAVENOUS drug abusers
HIV
COMMERCIAL law
DRUGSTORE laws
HEPATITIS C prevention
HEPATITIS C transmission
HIV infections
HIV prevention
HIV infection transmission
BUSINESS & economics
DRUGSTORES
HEPATITIS C
INTRAVENOUS drug abuse
ATTITUDE (Psychology)
HEALTH attitudes
MEDICAL personnel
HEALTH policy
PHARMACISTS
LEGAL status of pharmacists
PUBLIC opinion
RESEARCH funding
SELF-evaluation
SURVEYS
WILL
LEGAL status of drug abusers
ECONOMICS
PSYCHOLOGY
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 15443191
- Volume :
- 57
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Journal of the American Pharmacists Association: JAPhA
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 125972934
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japh.2017.06.017