Come back when you're infected: pharmacy access to sterile syringes in an Arizona Secret Shopper Study, 2023.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pharmacies are critical healthcare partners in community efforts to eliminate bloodborne illnesses. Pharmacy sale of sterile syringes is central to this effort.

Methods

A mixed methods "secret shopper" syringe purchase study was conducted in the fall of 2022 with 38 community pharmacies in Maricopa and Pima Counties, Arizona. Pharmacies were geomapped to within 2 miles of areas identified as having a potentially high volume of illicit drug commerce. Daytime venue sampling was used whereby separate investigators with lived/living drug use experience attempted to purchase syringes without a prescription. Investigator response when prompted for purchase rationale was "to protect myself from HIV and hepatitis C." A 24-item instrument measured sales outcome, pharmacy s

SUBMITTER: Russell DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10885601 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature