Missed opportunities for chlamydia screening by community pharmacists

Sexual Health ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 297
Author(s):  
Gavin Dabrera ◽  
David Pinson ◽  
Steve Whiteman
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Risk Group ◽  
Hormonal Contraception ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Chlamydia Screening ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Sexually Active ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
Pharmacy Setting

Provision of Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) is an ideal opportunity for offering Chlamydia screening (CS) to sexually active young women. We audited 3 months of CS activity in community pharmacies. This identified low rates of offers and uptake of CS in community pharmacies providing EHC to young women. This highlights the potential for significant improvement in CS uptake among this at-risk group in the pharmacy setting.

Attitudes to chlamydia screening in general practice among Australian university students: a pilot study

Sexual Health ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette Zakher ◽  
Melissa Kang
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Young People ◽  
University Students ◽  
Risk Group ◽  
Chlamydia Infection ◽  
Chlamydia Screening ◽  
Sexually Active ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections

Background: Chlamydia screening of sexually active young people in general practice is key to the Australian National Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2005–2008. Overseas research indicates that young people have positive attitudes towards opportunistic screening by a general practitioner (GP). This pilot study aims to investigate the attitudes of Australian university students towards chlamydia screening in primary care. Methods: Students (16–25 years) attending a class in one of three faculties at the University of Sydney participated by completing a questionnaire, which collected information about demographics, sexual history, chlamydia knowledge, attitudes towards and preferences for chlamydia screening. Results: One hundred and eighty-five students (78% female) returned questionnaires (participation rate 92%). Arts students were younger, more likely to be sexually active and to report having little or no knowledge of chlamydia. Males in the study were less likely to have had sex as a group compared to the group of females in the sample. Science students were also less likely to have had sex compared to their counterparts in other faculties. Seventy-six percent of students were comfortable with opportunistic testing for chlamydia by their GP. Reasons for not being comfortable included ‘don’t think I’m at risk’ (65%) and ‘not comfortable discussing sexual matters with my GP’ (38%). Although comfortable with GP-based testing, the likelihood of being tested in the upcoming year for most students was low, as was personal concern about chlamydia infection. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the most at risk group for chlamydia infection is not well educated about their risk of infection. The limited numbers of tests among sexually active individuals in this sample indicate that health practitioners are not screening this high-risk group for chlamydia infection.

scholarly journals Sexual and reproductive health services provided by community pharmacists: a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e047034
Author(s):  
Javiera Navarrete ◽  
Nese Yuksel ◽  
Theresa J Schindel ◽  
Christine A Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chlamydia Screening ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Pharmacy Services ◽  
Reproductive Health Services

ObjectivesPharmacists are increasingly providing patient-focused services in community pharmacies, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Specific SRH areas have been the focus of research, but a broader perspective is needed to position pharmacists as SRH providers. This review explored research that described and evaluated professional pharmacy services across a broad range of SRH areas.DesignScoping reviewData sourcesMedline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library (January 2007–July 2020).Study selectionStudies reporting on the description and evaluation of professional pharmacy SRH services provided by community pharmacists.Data extractionTwo investigators screened studies for eligibility, and one investigator extracted the data. Data were analysed to primarily describe professional pharmacy services and intervention outcomes.ResultsForty-one studies were included. The main SRH areas and professional pharmacy services reported were sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections (63%) and screening (39%), respectively. Findings showed that pharmacists’ delivery of SRH services was feasible, able to reach vulnerable and high-risk groups, and interventions were highly accepted and valued by users. However, integration into daily workflow, pharmacist remuneration, cost and reimbursement for patients, and policy regulations were some of the barriers identified to implementing SRH services. Studies were primarily in specific areas such as chlamydia screening or hormonal contraception prescribing, while studies in other areas (ie, medical abortion provision, long-acting reversible contraception prescribing and vaccine delivery in pregnant women) were lacking.ConclusionThis scoping review highlights the expansion of pharmacists’ roles beyond traditional product-focused services in a number of SRH areas. Given the potential feasibility, users’ acceptability and reach, pharmacists are ideally situated to enhance SRH care access. Future research describing implementation and evaluation of professional pharmacy services in all SRH areas is needed to promote access to these services through community pharmacies and position pharmacists as SRH providers worldwide.

scholarly journals Feasibility of cardiovascular risk screening in Portuguese community pharmacies

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 2255
Author(s):  
Anabela Fonseca ◽  
Tacio Lima ◽  
Margarida Castelo-Branco ◽  
Isabel Vitória Figueiredo
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Early Detection ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Cvd Risk Factors ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Risk Screening ◽  
Screening Programs

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of human mortality. As highly accessible and qualified health professionals, community pharmacists can be included in the early detection of patients at risk for CVD by implementing CVD screening programs. Objective: To assess the feasibility of CVD risk screening services in Portuguese community pharmacies from the evaluation of customers acceptability. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a community pharmacy in Portugal. The purpose of entering the pharmacy was recorded for all customers. Afterwards, the customers were invited to be interviewed by the pharmacist, who registered their willingness to participate and collected the participants’ data and biochemical and physical parameters to assess their CV risk by applying the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) model. For the participants who were not eligible for the SCORE-based risk assessment, the pharmacist considered the major modifiable CVD risk factors - hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking habits, obesity, impaired fasting glucose and sedentary behavior - according to the ESC guidelines. Results: Picking up medication was the most prevalent reason 69.8% (n=1,600) for entering the pharmacy, and among the contacted customers, 56.4% (n=621) agreed to have their CVD risk assessed. Of the 588 participants, 56.6% (n=333) were already on CV pharmacotherapy and were therefore not eligible for screening. Of the 43.4% (n=255) CV pharmacotherapy-naïve participants, 94.9% (n=242) were screened with at least one CVD risk factor; 52.9% (n=135) were not eligible for the SCORE assessment, of which 92.6% (n=125) presented CVD risk factors. Of the 120 SCORE eligible participants, 80.0% (n=96) were at least at moderate risk of CVD. Conclusions: We determined the feasibility of CVD risk screening in Portuguese community pharmacies, as we found high customer acceptability, noted the reasons for nonattendance, and found a high prevalence of CVD risk factors in at-risk patients. This is an opportunity for Portuguese community pharmacists to take a leading role in the early detection of CVD.

Chlamydia Screening of At-Risk Young Women in Managed Health Care: Characteristics of Top-Performing Primary Care Offices

2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 382-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Midge N. Ray ◽  
Terry Wall ◽  
Linda Casebeer ◽  
Norman Weissman ◽  
Claire Spettell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Chlamydia Screening ◽  
Managed Health Care

scholarly journals Chlamydia Screening for Sexually Active Young Women Under the Affordable Care Act

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 538-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penny S. Loosier ◽  
Mary-Beth Malcarney ◽  
Lauren Slive ◽  
Ryan C. Cramer ◽  
Brittany Burgess ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Women ◽  
Affordable Care Act ◽  
Chlamydia Screening ◽  
Sexually Active ◽  
The Affordable Care Act

scholarly journals Confusion regarding cervical cancer screening and chlamydia screening among sexually active young women: Table 1

2011 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwatobi Awele Ogbechie ◽  
Michele R Hacker ◽  
Laura E Dodge ◽  
Mitalee Milan Patil ◽  
Hope A Ricciotti
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Cervical Cancer Screening ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Chlamydia Screening ◽  
Sexually Active

Chlamydia screening interventions from community pharmacies: a systematic review

Sexual Health ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajni Gudka ◽  
Folasade E. Afuwape ◽  
Bessie Wong ◽  
Xuan Li Yow ◽  
Claire Anderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Based ◽  
Chlamydia Screening ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Implementation Support ◽  
Uptake Rates ◽  
Health Related ◽  
And Training ◽  
Pharmacy Setting ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infection ◽  
Transmissible Infection

Background Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) is the most commonly notified sexually transmissible infection in Australia. Increasing the number of people aged 16–25 years being tested for chlamydia has become a key objective. The strategy recommends that chlamydia screening sites should be easy to access. Community pharmacies are conveniently located and easily accessible. This review aimed to determine the different types of pharmacy-based chlamydia screening interventions, describe their uptake rates, and understand issues around the acceptability of and barriers to testing. Methods: Seven electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published up to 30 October 2011 for studies that reported chlamydia screening interventions from community pharmacies, or had qualitative evidence on acceptability or barriers linked with interventions. Results: Of the 163 publications identified, 12 met the inclusion criteria. Nine reported chlamydia screening interventions in a pharmacy setting, whereas three focussed on perspectives on chlamydia screening. Pharmacists could offer a chlamydia test to consumers attending the pharmacy for a sexual health-related consultation, or consumers could request a chlamydia test as part of a population-based intervention. Participating consumers said pharmacies were accessible and convenient, and pharmacists were competent when offering a chlamydia test. Pharmacists reported selectively offering tests to women they thought would be most at risk, undermining the principles of opportunistic interventions. Conclusion: Chlamydia screening from community pharmacies is feasible, and can provide an accessible, convenient venue to get a test. Professional implementation support, alongside resources, education and training programs, and incentives may overcome the issue of pharmacists selectively offering the test.

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