Pharmacy Workers’ Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Knowledge in Fuzhou, China: Implications for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing, Treatment, and Prevention Strategies

Abstract

Background Pharmacies play a special role in providing treatment services for patients with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in China. There is a need to study the STD/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge among pharmacy workers in retail pharmacies. Method A total of 200 pharmacy workers were recruited from 120 randomly selected retail pharmacies in Fuzhou, China. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect information of demographics, working experience, pharmacy structure and clientele profile, and pharmacy workers’ attitudes toward traditional Chinese folk remedies and their STD/HIV knowledge. Results Work-related training during the past 6 months, holding pharmacist license, and years of being a pharmacy worker showed significant association with STD/HIV knowledge. Work-related training also significantly associated with provision of consultation. Years of education and medical training, however, failed to show significant association with STD/HIV knowledge. Conclusions In order to improve service quality and avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment of STD/HIV, on-the-job training or continuous education for pharmacy workers should be required, implemented, and monitored as part of the national effort for STD control and treatment.

A qualitative study about self-medication in the community among market vendors in Fuzhou, China

“…One key to achieving this goal would be to strengthen or modify the role of the pharmacy. In one of our previous studies, we have argued that in the area of STD/HIV prevention and control, pharmacies should play a more active role in providing consultation and referral services rather than a specific emphasis on selling medication (Wen et al. 2009).…”

Sexual/reproductive health and the pharmacist: what is known and what is needed?

“…[22][23][24][25][26] In countries where the dispensing of antibiotics without prescription to treat STI still occurs, the public's behavioural pattern in choosing pharmacies as one of the main options for seeking treatment is worthy of further investigation. [11,24,27,28] Confirming possible underlying factors leading to this pattern of behaviour, such as perception of less risk of stigma by going to the pharmacy, lower treatment cost at the pharmacy or clearer dissemination of information by pharmacists, may reflect that necessary changes to policies and practices for these countries are required. The same health-seeking behaviour pattern may also indicate that problems may arise if these people move to countries with different practices from their own, such as the USA and the UK, eventually undermining the quality of care that can be provided to these groups.…”

“…Evidence shows that pharmacists can, and must, be proactive in providing STI screening, ensuring patients adhere to STI and HIV/AIDS treatments and practise safe sex [22–26] . In countries where the dispensing of antibiotics without prescription to treat STI still occurs, the public's behavioural pattern in choosing pharmacies as one of the main options for seeking treatment is worthy of further investigation [11,24,27,28] . Confirming possible underlying factors leading to this pattern of behaviour, such as perception of less risk of stigma by going to the pharmacy, lower treatment cost at the pharmacy or clearer dissemination of information by pharmacists, may reflect that necessary changes to policies and practices for these countries are required.…”

Medicine Sellers for Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections: Effect of a Quasi-Experimental Training Intervention in Bangladesh

“…Key variables from each of these categories were compared between the intervention and comparison groups both at the baseline and the follow-up. Difference-in-differences (DiD) estimation was used to assess the effects of training on key outcome variables in the framework of a linear regression model [ 13 , 21 ]. We defined i = 1 for the intervention group and i = 0 for the control group and t = 1 as the end line and t = 0 as the baseline.…”