Pharmacists as youth-friendly service providers: documenting condom and emergency contraception dispensing in Kenya

Abstract

Objectives This Kenya-based study ascertained whether pharmacies were an untapped source of 'youth-friendly' health services by determining (1) whether young people (aged 18-24) could successfully obtain condoms and emergency contraception (ECP); (2) whether contraceptives were dispensed according to national guidelines; and (3) how young people felt about obtaining ECP and condoms from pharmacy personnel. Methods This study used several methods to capture and cross-check purchasing experiences as reported by young people with those of dispensing pharmacy personnel. These included: focus group discussions; in-depth interviews; key informant interviews; and mystery shoppers. Results When in stock, young people were successfully able to obtain ECP and condoms from pharmacies. Counselling was sporadic: when it happened, it was not always accurate. Despite a lack of counselling, young people reported being satisfied with the quick, transactional interaction with pharmacy personnel. Conclusions The brief, transactional interactions between pharmacy personnel and young clients appear to be 'youthfriendly enough'. While there is room to strengthen the services provided (improving both accuracy and scope), this should be done in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the current interaction.Keywords Youth Á Pharmacy Á Family planning Á Contraception Á Sexual and reproductive health Á Low-income country This article is part of the special issue ''Sexual and reproductive health of young people -Focus Africa''. The Rudolf Geigy Foundation (Basel, Switzerland) funded the open access publication of this article.

Public Health Interventions Delivered by Pharmacy Professionals in Low- and Middle-Income Countries in Africa: A Systematic Scoping Review

“…Eleven studies were found from six countries that explored the service provision of pharmacy professionals in the sexual and reproductive health theme [ 18 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 48 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 ]. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, and family planning were the primary targets of the interventions.…”

Contextual factors associated with contraceptive utilization and unmet need among sexually active unmarried women in Kenya: A multilevel regression analysis

“…In Kenya, this underreported subgroup of unmarried women with less recent sex exhibited similarly lower mCPR (current and at last sexual intercourse) and higher unmet need relative to their female counterparts–and is increasingly leveraging ECP access to prevent unwanted pregnancies. With ECP free in public health facilities and available without prescription at private pharmacies, approaches to further expand ECP uptake, such as targeted demand generation campaigns, may benefit this female subgroup in managing unintended pregnancies [ 27 , 43 ].…”

“…Kenya has implemented policies to reduce barriers to access family planning, such as policies enacted in 2013 to effectively eliminate family planning user fees as well as other public outpatient costs [ 24 ]. ECP is free at public health facilities and available for purchase without prescription in private pharmacies [ 25 – 27 ]. Since the last DHS was conducted over seven years ago, other data sources are needed to investigate recent changes in family planning practices in Kenya.…”

Differences in contraceptive prices between and within family planning outlets in urban and semiurban Nigeria: a prospective cohort study

“… 8 Pharmacies and drug shops are often preferred because of privacy concerns, convenience, fast service, and perceived youth-friendliness. 9 , 10 , 11 In a mixed-methods study in Kenya, young people identified pharmacies as a preferred option that afforded privacy without the prohibitive costs of private facilities; many young people were willing to pay more for private pharmacy services to access high-quality, private care, citing pharmacies’ consistent pricing as an added benefit. 10…”