Community pharmacists and improving contraception access: Relationships between contraceptive counseling and dispensing contraceptives

Abstract

BackgroundExperiences of contraceptive counseling and obtaining contraceptives vary for women of childbearing age based on education level, race, ethnicity, and health insurance. Community pharmacists are an important resource for improving access to contraceptive care in states with over-the-counter access to and pharmacist prescribing of contraceptives. ObjectivesWe first aimed to determine how patient education level, race, ethnicity, insurance, and patient-provider race concordance influenced the likelihood of receiving contraceptive counseling. The second aim was to determine how receiving contraceptive counseling influenced the likelihood of being dispensed contraceptives by a pharmacist. MethodsPearson chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to address study aims. ResultsOlder women and those with Medicaid were less likely to receive contraceptive counseling. Race concordance had no influence on counseling. Counseling and education level were strong predictors of being dispensed contraceptives. Race, ethnicity, Medicaid, and marital status were negatively associated with being dispensed contraceptives. ConclusionsInequities exist in access to contraceptive care for women of diverse backgrounds as well as those insured through Medicaid. State-level policy advancements and over the counter access to oral contraceptives may provide pharmacists a unique opportunity to provide contraceptive care for women without access to a primary care provider.