Consumer attitudes towards and satisfaction with emergency contraception counselling: experience from clinic and retail pharmacy settings

Abstract

Objective: To collectively assess consumer attitudes towards and satisfaction with emergency contraception (EC) counselling by student pharmacists in two different locations: an academic healthcare clinic and a retail pharmacy.

Methods: EC counselling was provided by trained student pharmacists utilizing a standardized education toolkit. Participants were asked to rate the counselling at the end of the knowledge survey. In addition to descriptive statistics, we compared the self-reported attitudes and satisfaction with the counselling between the two sites.

Key findings The majority of participants from both settings rated 'strongly agree' on the attitude and satisfaction statements for the EC counselling. Participants from the clinic setting rated higher in two of the four statements than the participants from the retail setting.

Conclusions: Participants had positive attitudes towards and were highly satisfied with the EC counselling in both settings. EC counselling should be encouraged in practice settings.

Comment: This paper shows that in the case of emergency contraception counseling by pharmacists is at least as good as by clinic staff. (HMV)