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Pharmacists' perspectives on HIV testing in community pharmacies
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : Japha
|October 5, 2013
Summary
Community pharmacists find rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing feasible and acceptable, but implementation requires addressing challenges like training and patient referral. This expansion of pharmacy services is seen as a reasonable evolution of their role.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pharmacy Practice
- Infectious Disease Prevention
Background:
- Community pharmacies are accessible healthcare touchpoints.
- Expanding services to include rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing is being explored.
- Assessing pharmacist perspectives is crucial for successful implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility, readiness, and acceptability of offering rapid HIV testing in community pharmacies.
- To understand community pharmacists' attitudes towards integrating HIV testing into their practice.
- To identify potential barriers and facilitators for implementing pharmacy-based HIV testing.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative study was conducted with 17 licensed community pharmacists in Indiana.
- Semistructured interviews were used to gather self-reported attitudes, peer perceptions, and readiness for HIV testing.
- Data collection occurred between May and September 2012.
Main Results:
- Pharmacists viewed rapid HIV testing as accessible, convenient, and nonstigmatizing, linked to patient relationships and consultation comfort.
- Key challenges identified include staffing, delivering positive results, patient linkage to care, space limitations, and training needs.
- Pharmacists anticipated variable peer acceptance, with newer practitioners likely more receptive.
Conclusions:
- Offering rapid HIV testing is considered a reasonable extension of the community pharmacist's role.
- Successful implementation is contingent upon addressing identified personal and institutional barriers.
- Further training and support systems are necessary to facilitate pharmacy-based HIV testing.
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