Assessing student and patient perspectives on pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraceptives.

BACKGROUND: Increasing convenient, accessible, and cost effective contraceptive access is critically important. Two-thirds of U.S. states permit pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives. Community pharmacies are ideal settings for patients to be offered contraceptive therapeutic options, including hormonal contraceptives, emergency contraception (EC), and over-the-counter (OTC) oral contraception.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess college student and community pharmacy patients' perspectives on pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraceptives, likelihood of accessing contraceptives from a pharmacist, and perspectives regarding EC and OTC oral contraception.

METHODS: The researchers conducted an observational study distributed to college students and patients accessing care at community-based pharmacies from October 2022 to February 2023. The survey population included those who were 18 years or older, English speaking, and recruited both in person and online. Survey questions assessed barriers to contraception access, perspectives toward pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception, likelihood of receiving pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception, as well as EC and OTC oral contraception at the community pharmacy. Results from the pharmacist and clinician surveys were previously published, therefore this report will focus on the student and patient data.

RESULTS: Ninety-one percent of all respondents strongly agreed or agreed with pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception. Students and patients reported convenience, time-saving, and money saving as reasons for obtaining from their pharmacist. In regard to EC, 36% reported having ever purchased from a pharmacy and 58% were extremely or somewhat likely to purchase OTC oral contraception.

CONCLUSIONS: The majority of students and community pharmacy patients surveyed in Rhode Island support pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraceptives. State-level policy advancements with reimbursement for services provide pharmacists an opportunity to provide contraceptive care for all people.