Nearby Pharmacy Research Articles

MeDASH: An Effective Way to Check the Availability of Pharmaceutical Drugs in Proximity Using QR-codes

Background: The rapid advancement of technology is reshaping industries, including healthcare. Doctors and pharmacists require efficient tools to manage inventory and meet patient needs effectively.. Contribution: This project introduces a mobile application that leverages QR code technology to provide real-time information on the availability of prescribed drugs in nearby pharmacies. Method: The app has two interfaces. The doctor’s interface records prescription details (drug name, dosage, frequency) and generates a QR code for the patient. The patient’s interface scans the QR code to find nearby pharmacies with the prescribed drugs via a central database. Results: The application generates QR codes within 0.19 seconds and displays them in 0.22 seconds on average. It integrates Google Maps to identify the patient’s location and nearby pharmacies, offering precise directions to the selected pharmacy. Conclusion: This solution enhances healthcare delivery by improving access to prescription drugs, offering convenience for both healthcare providers and patients, and addressing drug availability challenges.

Why COVID-19 Symptomatic Patients Did Not Seek Healthcare Service at the Early Phase of the Pandemic in Bangladesh: Evidence From a Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective The health-seeking behavior (HSB) of patients during an outbreak is crucial in mitigating the spread of disease. Poor HSB can increase mortality and make contact tracing more difficult. In this study, we aimed to examine the status of HSB among Bangladeshi educated individuals during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic when infection was spreading quickly, and social distancing measures were tightened across the country. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey online among Bangladeshi individuals using a virtual snowball sampling method to capture suspected COVID-19 patients who did not undergo COVID-19 diagnostic testing.Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed with statistical significance defined as p<0.05. Results The study consisted of 390 participants with 44.9% having a bachelor's degree, followed by 25.9% with a master's or PhD degree. Commonly reported symptoms among the participants included fever (77.7%), cough (50.5%), headache (46.2%), body pain (36.4%), sore throat (35.6%), anosmia (31.3%), anorexia (13.8%), diarrhea (11.4%), and dyspnea (11.3%). The most common reasons for not taking the COVID-19 test were limited testing facilities (48%), the risk of infection from the test center (46%), fear of social stigma (19%), considering COVID-19 infection as innocuous (18%), and fear of forced quarantine (5%). In regression analysis, participants who lived in rural areas were found to be 2.5 times more likely to buy medications from nearby pharmacies. Males were more likely to self-medicate, with male participants being 3.2 times more likely than female participants to consider COVID-19 infection as harmless (AOR: 3.2, CI: 1.28-7.98). Smokers were more likely to seek help from government hotlines and to use drugs at home. Respondents with higher monthly income were less likely to fear forced quarantine (AOR: 0.27, CI: 0.4-2.02) but more likely to consider the risk of infection at the test center (AOR: 1.75, CI: 0.88-3.49). Conclusion Our study highlights that non-compliance with public health guidelines by educated people during an epidemic indicates a general lack of health literacy and distrust in the healthcare system. Along with improved infrastructure, efforts to enhance public health risk communication and health literacy are necessary to rebuild public trust in the healthcare service.

Preliminary Study To Assess Consumer Conception On Online Vs Offline Purchase Of Medicines

Background: The use of the Internet for buying and selling of medicines has increased over several years. Purchase of medicines from E-pharmacies has also grown exponentially with the increase in the usage of the internet for buying products. Online purchase of medicines comes with several advantages such as time-saving, variety of offers and quick home delivery but there are several disadvantages associated with it. Hence, to study the pros and cons of purchasing medicines online, this study was conducted. Methods: The main objective of this study is to assess the behaviour of consumers on online and offline purchase of medicines and what are the several factors that motivate them to purchase medicines online or vice-versa. For collecting responses, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed to the study participants through google forms. The questionnaire was divided into two sections including age and gender. Results: A total of 100 responses were obtained, out of which 50% of respondents opted for offline purchase of medicines from nearby pharmacies. In conclusion, it was observed that the majority of the population prefers the offline mode of purchase when it comes to the purchase of medicines and other healthcare products, though there are various major advancements in technology and variety of internet services and easy availability of e-medicines. Conclusion: It reflects a more health-conscious and traditional mindset and outlook of the people particularly while deciding about the mode of purchasing medicines- online or offline because people lack trust when it comes to online purchase of medicines.

Caregivers' Satisfaction of Teleconsultations and Associated Factors During COVID-19 Pandemic at Pediatric Clinics of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a paradigm shift in routine care delivery with the widespread transition to virtual care without demanding preconditions. Caregivers' satisfaction is a critical parameter to ensuring the quality of clinical service in the pediatric population. Despite this fact, such patient-related factors are under-investigated and poorly documented in developing countries such as Ethiopia. The study was aimed to assess caregivers' satisfaction regarding teleconsultations and associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Health institution-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in randomly selected caregivers who were served with phone-based medical consultations during the pandemic. Data were collected by means of a pretested, structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into Excel 2016 and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Logistic regression models were used to predict the association of study variables and adjusted for possible confounders. Overall, 177 (61.5%) of participants reported satisfaction with the teleconsultation. Female caregivers (AOR=1.78; 95% CI 1.05, 3.01), having family support (AOR=2.6; 95% CI 1.45, 4.65), access to a nearby laboratory (AOR=2.18; 95% CI 1.24, 3.83), having access to nearby pharmacy (AOR=2.82; 95% CI 1.63, 4.86) were found to be predictors of caregivers' satisfaction with teleconsultation in the study area. A considerable number of caregivers were satisfied with the teleconsultation service during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important for healthcare providers and policy makers to strengthen the provision of teleconsultation service options for caregivers including women and those with better access to diagnostic centers and pharmacies. They should try to make teleconsultation caregiver-friendly.

A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Self-Medication Among University Students of Lahore, Pakistan

<i>Background</i>: Symptoms or ailments that a person is aware of and chooses to treat on their own are referred to as self-medication. The idea of self-medication has been influenced by awareness of individual responsibility for own health and unnecessary professional care for mild illnesses. Self-medication is common practice around the globe. Gradually, it is becoming a form of self-care. Lot of research has been done in the area and the result revealed that the self-medication is more common among the literate people as compared to the illiterate. Trend is rather prominent among the young population who tend to have more knowledge of drugs and their use, have lower risk perception, therefore are more influenced by self-medication. <i>Objective</i>: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the knowledge about self-medication among engineering, arts & humanities students in Lahore during a period of 7 months (December 2018-June 2019).<i> Methodology</i>: A self-administered questionnaire was designed after the extensive review of previous research and was reviewed by an expert panel of professors & lecturers of clinical pharmacy of Punjab University College of pharmacy. Human ethics committee of Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab approved the study protocol. A total sample of 1000 students were calculated by sample size calculator. All statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 23. <i>Results:</i> A total of 1000 questionnaire were received with overall response rate of 63%. In this study, younger age, male, and unmarried students residing in hostels and those who have access to nearby pharmacy tended to self-medicate more than their peers with significant difference. About 43.4% of respondents followed their doctor's advice, while about 37.2% took their own advice or that of friends, family members, or the media. <i>Conclusion</i>: Self-medication misuse or abuse can be dangerous and endanger lives; if practiced impulsively, it may also be a health issue that requires education and attention from Pakistan's health care authorities. Future research is also required to determine how self-medication affects Lahore and Pakistan's non-medical students' health.

Labels and package inserts – A study to determine if official guidelines are being followed by pharmaceuticals in India

Background: A package insert is a document within a medication package that provides information about the product. Labels similarly covey information regarding the product but are printed on the packaging rather than separately within. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether pharmaceuticals in India adhere to the national guidelines laid down by CDSCO with regards to the packaging and labeling of drugs. Materials and Methods: 100 drugs (labels + package inserts) were collected within duration of 1 month, beginning June 6th, 2023,–July 5th, 2023, from the central drug store of a tertiary care government hospital and nearby pharmacies. After entering pertinent data into a Microsoft Excel sheet, analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics. Results: Most companies (in and around 70%) followed requirements with respect to drug labels barring “warning about the drug” and use of the “red line,” while package inserts showed divisive results, with patient-centric information such as posology, special warnings, and contraindications being followed by more than 80% of the manufacturer’s while taking a backseat with regards to technical details such as shelf life and incompatibilities. Conclusion: Labels and package inserts do largely convey the information that they intend to, with scope for improvement from both companies and regulatory authorities in order to perfect the balance of information conveyed.

Antibiotics Prescription, Dispensing Practices and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern in Common Pathogens in Nepal: A Narrative Review.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasing and it is a serious public health problem worldwide. Nepal is considered as one of the contributors for rising AMR due to the most prevalent irrational use of antibiotics. In this review, we have assessed the practices of antibiotic prescription and dispensing, and antibiotic resistance of commonly encountered bacteria in Nepal. There is exponential increase of therapeutic consumption of antibiotics either without clinician's prescription or irrational prescription. Almost half of the population in Nepal was found to purchase antibiotics easily from the nearby pharmacies without clinician's prescription. Irrational prescription is exceeded in remote areas which could be due to lack of access with health posts and hospitals. The third generation cephalosporins, which are considered as the last resort antibiotics were found to be relatively prescribed and dispensed higher as compared to other classes of antibiotics. Despite the existing limited functional surveillance system, antibiotic resistance among bacteria is increasing in Nepal because of irrational prescription, dispensing and consumption of antibiotics without prescription.

Supermarket branches at risk of closure could shift 1 million extra prescriptions per month to nearby pharmacies

The potential closure of hundreds of supermarket-based pharmacies could displace nearly 1 million patient prescriptions each month in England, with the extra work expected to be shifted on to surrounding pharmacies, an analysis by The Pharmaceutical Journal has found. In January 2023, a spate of announcements signalled the potential closure of 252 community pharmacies based […]

Risk assessment of the continuity of essential medications for low socioeconomic patients in Syria: a case study of diabetes mellitus

Abstract Objectives During the past decade, the health system in Syria has been devastated due to the ongoing conflict which affected the production of pharmaceuticals as well. Patients of chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, were significantly affected by the shortages of oral anti-diabetic medications, especially those of lower socioeconomic status. The objective of this paper is to study the causes and effects of the shortage of oral anti-diabetic agents in the Syrian market on patients with low socioeconomic status who find difficulties in accessing these medications. Methods The methodology of the study includes determining the availability of nationally produced oral anti-diabetic agents in different local pharmacies. Then, it studied the effects of this availability on low socioeconomic status patients whose prescriptions were registered in a local NGO and analysed using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft, USA). Key findings The study shows that many of the anti-diabetic medications included in the study have less than 50% availability in the pharmacies. Metformin, which is considered as a first-line treatment in diabetes has 40% availability. In addition, metformin was the most prescribed medication with about 57% frequency followed by gliclazide with 37% prescription frequency. Conclusion This study raises concerns about the continuity of supply of some of the oral anti-diabetic agents in the Syrian market. This can impact patient commitment to treatment, where patients from low socioeconomic status can be most affected by medication unavailability in nearby pharmacies or increased pricing due to high demand with low supply.

Extent of Involvement of Private Practitioners in Public-Private Mix-Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (PPM-DOTS) for Tuberculosis Management in South Coastal India

Background: Ensuring the effective participation of both public and private healthcare providers is essential to fulfill the goals of universal access to tuberculosis (TB) care. Objectives: The objective was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice about TB, Directly Observed Treatment Short (DOTS) program and Public-Private Mix-DOTS course (PPM-DOTS) strategy among allopathic private practitioners (PP) and to explore their extent of involvement in PPM-DOTS strategy in the diagnosis, notification, and management of TB in Puducherry, India. Materials and Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-method study was conducted from November 2017 to February 2018 with quantitative survey using a pretested semistructured questionnaire followed by in-depth interview (IDI) using field guide. Descriptive manual content analysis was performed after verbatim transcription of the manuscripts from IDIs. Results: Qualitative data based on survey revealed that 97.66% of PPs were aware of subjecting patients with cough for more than 2 weeks for sputum examination and 93.75% were aware of mandatory TB notification. About 88.28% preferred to get the investigation done for presumptive TB cases from nearby DOTS centers. About 89.06% preferred to refer TB cases to nearby primary health centers whereas only 20.31% preferred to notify TB cases. IDIs revealed that PPM-DOTS was not utilized optimally due to the following reasons: minimal TB caseload to collaborate and function with DOTS centers, fear of losing the patient, distrust in PP, busy schedule, availability of Anti-tubercular treatment (ATT) in the nearby pharmacy, breach of confidentiality while notification and finally the easy referral mechanism due to nearby DOTS centers. Conclusions: Involvement of PPs in PPM-DOTS remains sub-optimal. Strategies such as conducting regular workshops, providing timely information about policy changes, and constructive communications individually with PPs to dispel any misconceptions might enhance PPM-DOTS.

Conscientious Objection to Emergency Contraception

Conscientious Objection to Emergency Contraception

Android Application for an Efficient Method of Tracking and Managing Pharmacies

This paper focuses on creating an Android application in which the users will be able to search their required medicines, along with the required quantity, and will be able to see all the nearby pharmacies having the required medicines, and then they can easily navigate to the pharmacy, which solves the problem mentioned above. Apart from the customers/users, the pharmacists will also benefit from the app as they can keep a track of all the medicines and medical apparatus in their shop, along with their quantities, and can also update this data regularly on the application. This application is named “PharmaSpotter” as it will help the customers to spot the pharmacies near them quickly.

Paediatric dosage ‘need of hours among family physicians/other speciality physicians’

Dear editor, We read the article with bated breath by Sil et al.[1] ‘A study of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding administration of paediatric dosage forms and allied health literacy of caregivers for children’. It is an essential topic because it serves as a reminder to prescribers to emphasise the dose pattern to caregivers. They have very nicely concluded that Physicians must be mindful of the limitations of their knowledge as well as the likelihood of incorrect administration practices among childcarers. Medication errors can be reduced by taking corrective action in this area. Paediatricians, for example, are notorious for emphasising and stressing dosage, approach and patterns. Other speciality physicians are forced to manage paediatric cases in low-developed countries such as India, where paediatricians are few in rural settings. In the current pandemic crisis, dextromethorphan is often used to treat dry cough in in-patients or as a prescription for out-patients. Because its dosage is based on age rather than body weight, there is a lot of variation in the amount of medicine given.[2] The clinical effectiveness of syrup or any other formulation of dextromethorphan for treating acute cough is unknown, and the American Academy of Paediatrics does not recommend it. With this as a backdrop, we tried to focus on current issues that have been highlighted in the media and by India’s drug regulatory authorities. It is with reference to the recent news and official order given by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of India regarding the report of dextromethorphan poisoning admitted at Kalawati Saran Children Hospital in New Delhi.[3] There is another crucial factor to consider with respect to the advisory as per the National Formulary of India (NFI) and Current Index of Medical Specialities (CMIS). In NFI, the age for which drug dextromethorphan advised is 2–12 years with dosage mentioned in Table 1. In CIMS India the dosage for 2–12 years is mentioned and provided information that individualized dose for children up to 2 years has to be followed.Table 1: Information regarding dextromethorphan for childrenIn all the drug resources, there is an indication with a clear distinction between giving doses to children and prescribing doses to adults. Even though, depending on the amount or the components of the exact formulation taken, the medicine dextromethorphan might cause a variety of side effects, the majority of cases with dextromethorphan abuse improve just with supportive care. However, seriously affected patients may need more attention. Because dextromethorphan is typically misused in younger age groups, early detection and treatment of dextromethorphan abuse may be critical in preventing broader substance dependence in these kids.[4] In light of the foregoing, we were intrigued to investigate the labelling of a few pharmaceutical items available at a nearby pharmacy. Again, it is surprising to our knowledge that just a small percentage of the preparations still contain children aged 2 and up. This banning of dextromethorphan for children less than 4 years of age is also an alert for all the family Physicians and Paediatricians and provides us a signal to be vigilant before prescribing any paediatric drug and by sticking to the guidelines or drug dosage information in existence from time to time. As a result, it is now required to follow the DGHS’s new instructions on the use of children above the age of four, regardless of the label. It is also an earnest request for all the prescribers to update knowledge over the over the counter drugs. Ethical approval Not required Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest. I would like to submit the letter entitled ‘PAEDIATRIC DOSAGE ‘NEED OF HOURS AMONG FAMILY PHYSICIANS/OTHER SPECIALITY’ to letter to editor, in your esteemed journal. I declare there is no conflict of interest and no completing financial support is required for this work. And also, I confirmed that the manuscript has been read and approved for submission by all the named authors.

27534 Physician-patient knowledge on GoodRx

Background: GoodRx is a popular free-to-use website and mobile application used by physicians and patients to locate the cheapest available drug prices in a nearby pharmacy. GoodRx claims to gather current prices and discounts to find the lowest cost retail pharmacy for all available prescriptions. We sought to assess the impact of GoodRx on physician and patient prescription practices and to confirm the accuracy of GoodRx on identifying the cheapest drug prices in a metropolitan area.

Prevalence and Predictors of Self-Medication Practice Among Teachers' Education Training College Students in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Self-medication practice is the use of medications without healthcare professional requests. It can lead to inappropriate medication usage, wastage of resources, increased chance of microbial resistance, and adverse drug reactions. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the prevalence and associated factors of self-medication practice among teachers’ education training college students in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Methods: A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted on 344 teachers’ education training college students in the Amhara region, Ethiopia, from January 1 to February 28, 2020. Data on sociodemography, the practice of self-medication, and factors associated with self-medication practice were collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire. Systematic random sampling was used to select participants. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done to determine various variables and factors associated with self-medication practice. Results: Out of the 344 respondents, 234 (68.0%) practiced self-medication. The most commonly cited indication for self-medication practice was headache (75, 32.05%), followed by abdominal discomfort (53, 22.6%). The respondents who were older than 26 years of age (AOR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.18–3.94), were in the third year of study (AOR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.94–5.79), lived in urban residence (AOR: 2.97, 95% CI: 1.06–3.64), had accessibility to a nearby pharmacy (AOR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.43–4.46), and had peer/family pressure (AOR: 2.34, 95% Cl: 1.53–3.56) were significantly associated with self-medication practice. Conclusion: More than two-thirds of the study participants practiced self-medication. Being from an urban area, having access to a private pharmacy, and higher year of study positively affect self-medication practice.

A Study on Self-Medication Practice among Nursing Pharmacy and B. Arch Students in a Private Institution

Background: The consumption of drugs without consulting healthcare professional regardless of side effects and duration of therapy is known as self-medication. Objectives: This study was conducted to analyse the practice of SM among the students and to survey pharmacists regarding the practice of drug counselling while dispensing. Methods: 6 months Study was carried out by collecting the data with the help of questionnaire and thereby collecting their answers. The data was analysed statistically in terms of actual numbers and percentage. Results: According to our study the prevalence of SM is higher among juniors than seniors. Previous experience , economy, quick relief were most prevailing reasons for SM. Mostly to Fever and headache , acidity , cough , cold and arthritis .Most frequently used medications were analgesics, antipyretics, and antacids , and all they get information is from media , parents and friends most probably. Our study also revealed that in nearby pharmacies most of them were certified pharmacists(96%),mostly dispensed drugs were without prescription and people do not ask for counselling of the medicine due to lack of time and interest. Conclusion: Our study concluded that the prevalence of SM was seen in higher levels among the students and is the primary reason for irrational use of medicines. Hence proper information has to be given to the students about the negative effects of the drugs and to take proper advice and assistance by a health care professional before taking medication.&#x0D; Keywords: Self-medication, irrational use, prevalence, pharmacist, drugs.

A study on the evaluation of drug package inserts: a prospective observational study

Background: The package inserts are an important source of information for the patient and the prescribers which are often incomplete in terms of information. Not many of them are patient friendly, usage of technical terms further complicates the scenario amidst inadequate doctor-patient ratio. Aim of the study was to evaluate the completeness of package inserts.Methods: Hundred package inserts were collected from June 2018 to September 2018 from nearby pharmacies and drug store of a tertiary care hospital, Government Medical College, Akola and evaluated in terms of completeness as per guidelines mentioned in the section D of Drug and Cosmetics Act 1945, language used and addressed to whom. Each guideline followed under section D was given a score of 1 and absence 0 depending upon which grouped as Grade A (&gt;15), Grade B (10-15), Grade C (&lt;10). Result was analysed in Microsoft Excel 2010 expressed in percentage and whole numbers.Results: Out of the 100 package inserts evaluated the guidelines like mentioning of special circumstances like pregnancy was present in (98%), undesirable effects in 98%. All of them used English with 3% having combination with regional language, 70% had no mention as to whom it is addressed. Grades allotted after evaluation A, B, C, 24%, 74%, 2%.Conclusions: The present study showed though improvement occurred deficiencies should be corrected and properly scrutinised for better compliance of the patient and effective drug use and to step up the healthcare services in society.

Multidisciplinary Teams Knock Down Barriers to Medication Treatment for OUD

Multidisciplinary Teams Knock Down Barriers to Medication Treatment for OUD

The Impact of National Health Insurance Scheme Policy on the Enrollees in Federal Medical Center Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

This study examined the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as a social health insurance on the enrollees in Federal Medical Center Keffi(FMC Keffi) of Nasarawa State, Nigeria to the ascertain the effectiveness of the policy on the enrollees. The survey depended on both primary and secondary sources of information for data for the study. Simple percentage was adopted as the method of data analysis. As at the first quarter of 2018 a total population of 15,086 enrollees drawn from all the Health Maintenance Organizations have Memorandum of Understanding with FMC Keffi, with a monthly encounter average of 1,257. Thus, the sample size was determined by Taro Yamme's model and 390 enrollees were randomly selected for the survey. The study revealed that most enrollees face a wide range of challenges in terms of access to quality healthcare service delivery such as; waiting time to see doctors, non-availability of prescribed drugs, sometime lack of prescription sheets. The challenges of non-availability of drugs is largely due to the prescription of branded drugs especially at Specialist Clinics, which are not covered on NHIS, however for drugs which are covered on the scheme and are not available, FMC Keffi made provision for out-sourcing from nearby pharmacies within 24 hours, for the patients. The management of FMC Keffi, also make refund for out-of-pocket spending to patient who could not wait for the out-sourcing. The study recommends that for the enrollees to effectively benefit from this policy all government hospitals and other private hospitals which meet the requirement should be accredited in order to make access to quality healthcare service delivery reachable and affordable at all times for the enrollees amongst others.

Contraceptive Desert? Black-White Differences in Characteristics of Nearby Pharmacies.

Race differences in contraceptive use and in geographic access to pharmacies are well established. We explore race differences in characteristics of nearby pharmacies that are likely to facilitate (or not) contraceptive purchase. We conducted analyses with two geocode-linked datasets: (1) the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life (RDSL) project, a study of a random sample of 1003 women ages 18-19 living in a county in Michigan in 2008-09; and (2) the Community Pharmacy Survey, which collected data on 82 pharmacies in the county in which the RDSL study was conducted. Although young African-American women tend to live closer to pharmacies than their white counterparts (1.2miles to the nearest pharmacy for African Americans vs. 2.1miles for whites), those pharmacies tend to be independent pharmacies (59vs. 16%) that are open fewer hours per week (64.6 vs. 77.8) and have fewer female pharmacists (17 vs. 50%), fewer patient brochures on contraception (2 vs. 5%), more difficult access to condoms (49% vs. 85% on the shelf instead ofbehind glass, behind the counter, or not available), and fewer self-check-out options (3 vs. 9%). More African-American than white women live near African-American pharmacists (8 vs. 3%). These race differences are regardless of poverty, measured by the receipt of public assistance. Relative to white women, African-American women may face a "contraception desert," wherein they live nearer to pharmacies, but those pharmacies have characteristics that may impede the purchase of contraception.