Lianne Gonsalves ^1 2 3, Kaspar Wyss ^4 5, Peter Gichangi ^6 7 8, Adriane Martin Hilber ^4 5

Affiliations

• ¹Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, including UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. gonsalvesl@who.int.
• ²Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland. gonsalvesl@who.int.
• ³University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. gonsalvesl@who.int.
• ⁴Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland.
• ⁵University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
• ⁶International Centre for Reproductive Health Kenya, Mombasa, Kenya.
• ⁷Department of Human Anatomy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
• ⁸Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

PMID: 32472373 PMCID: PMC7275003

DOI: 10.1007/s00038-020-01348-9

Abstract

Objectives: This Kenya-based study ascertained whether pharmacies were an untapped source of ‘youth-friendly’ health services by determining (1) whether young people (aged 18-24) could successfully obtain condoms and emergency contraception (ECP); (2) whether contraceptives were dispensed according to national guidelines; and (3) how young people felt about obtaining ECP and condoms from pharmacy personnel.

Methods: This study used several methods to capture and cross-check purchasing experiences as reported by young people with those of dispensing pharmacy personnel. These included: focus group discussions; in-depth interviews; key informant interviews; and mystery shoppers.

Results: When in stock, young people were successfully able to obtain ECP and condoms from pharmacies. Counselling was sporadic: when it happened, it was not always accurate. Despite a lack of counselling, young people reported being satisfied with the quick, transactional interaction with pharmacy personnel.

Conclusions: The brief, transactional interactions between pharmacy personnel and young clients appear to be ‘youth-friendly enough’. While there is room to strengthen the services provided (improving both accuracy and scope), this should be done in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the current interaction.

Keywords: Contraception; Family planning; Low-income country; Pharmacy; Sexual and reproductive health; Youth.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Link

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32472373/