Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic influenced health care with effects on contraception access emerging. The study objectives were to analyze pandemic impacts on birth control (BC) use and access; and evaluate perceptions of pharmacist-prescribed BC. A 50-item survey was distributed by 31 Michigan community phar...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Pharmacy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/10/6/142 |
| _version_ | 1827637233610391552 |
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| author | Karli Pelaccio David Bright Heather Dillaway Mary Beth O’Connell |
| author_facet | Karli Pelaccio David Bright Heather Dillaway Mary Beth O’Connell |
| author_sort | Karli Pelaccio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic influenced health care with effects on contraception access emerging. The study objectives were to analyze pandemic impacts on birth control (BC) use and access; and evaluate perceptions of pharmacist-prescribed BC. A 50-item survey was distributed by 31 Michigan community pharmacies to women aged 18–45 over a three-month period. The survey link was also posted on two websites. 147 surveys were analyzed. Respondents were 29 ± 7.9 years old, primarily white (77%) and straight (81%). Fifty-eight percent of respondents used prescription BC, mostly to prevent pregnancy (84%) with oral pills (76%) being the most common formulation. Some BC users (25%) were worried about BC access and 27% had difficulty taking BC regularly. Half of the respondents (50%) would likely use pharmacist-prescribed BC if available, with advantages being more convenient than visiting a doctor’s office (71%) and easier access (69%). The major concern about pharmacist-prescribed BC was women not receiving PAP smears and screenings (61%). Respondents reported high confidence (72%) in pharmacist-prescribed BC and believe it would help prevent unintended pregnancies (69%). Some respondents experienced altered BC use and access. Half of the respondents supported pharmacist-prescribed BC. Pharmacist-prescribed BC could help solve pandemic-related access problems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:57:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77813bc18333470392ece74e5f1e766f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-4787 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:57:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmacy |
| spelling | doaj.art-77813bc18333470392ece74e5f1e766f2023-11-24T17:23:08ZengMDPI AGPharmacy2226-47872022-10-0110614210.3390/pharmacy10060142Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19Karli Pelaccio0David Bright1Heather Dillaway2Mary Beth O’Connell3Doctor of Pharmacy Program, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI 48201, USAPharmaceutical Sciences Department, College of Pharmacy, Ferris State University, 202C Hagerman Pharmacy Building, 220 Ferris Dr., Big Rapids, MI 49307, USACollege of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University, Stevenson Hall 141, Campus Box 4100, Normal, IL 61790, USAPharmacy Practice Department, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Suite 2124, Detroit, MI 48201, USAThe COVID-19 pandemic influenced health care with effects on contraception access emerging. The study objectives were to analyze pandemic impacts on birth control (BC) use and access; and evaluate perceptions of pharmacist-prescribed BC. A 50-item survey was distributed by 31 Michigan community pharmacies to women aged 18–45 over a three-month period. The survey link was also posted on two websites. 147 surveys were analyzed. Respondents were 29 ± 7.9 years old, primarily white (77%) and straight (81%). Fifty-eight percent of respondents used prescription BC, mostly to prevent pregnancy (84%) with oral pills (76%) being the most common formulation. Some BC users (25%) were worried about BC access and 27% had difficulty taking BC regularly. Half of the respondents (50%) would likely use pharmacist-prescribed BC if available, with advantages being more convenient than visiting a doctor’s office (71%) and easier access (69%). The major concern about pharmacist-prescribed BC was women not receiving PAP smears and screenings (61%). Respondents reported high confidence (72%) in pharmacist-prescribed BC and believe it would help prevent unintended pregnancies (69%). Some respondents experienced altered BC use and access. Half of the respondents supported pharmacist-prescribed BC. Pharmacist-prescribed BC could help solve pandemic-related access problems.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/10/6/142birth controlcommunity pharmacyCOVID-19hormonal contraceptionpharmacy accesspharmacist prescribing |
| spellingShingle | Karli Pelaccio David Bright Heather Dillaway Mary Beth O’Connell Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19 Pharmacy birth control community pharmacy COVID-19 hormonal contraception pharmacy access pharmacist prescribing |
| title | Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19 |
| title_full | Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19 |
| title_short | Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19 |
| title_sort | birth control use and access including pharmacist prescribed contraception services during covid 19 |
| topic | birth control community pharmacy COVID-19 hormonal contraception pharmacy access pharmacist prescribing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/10/6/142 |
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