Abstract
Background Unintended pregnancies, the primary cause of abortion, can consequence in severe negative effects such as infertility and maternal death. Adequate knowledge of emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) and a positive attitude among the dispensers in community pharmacy is a prerequisite for timely access to ECP thus ultimately abating the incidence of unintended pregnancies. This study intended to explore the knowledge, attitude and practice of dispensers of community pharmacy toward ECPs in Kathmandu valley. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in community pharmacies located in three districts of Kathmandu valley. A convenient sampling method was employed to interview dispensers in 227 community pharmacies using a validated questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed the demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and dispensing practice of the dispensers. The data were subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis using SPSS 18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results Respondents’ knowledge was statistically significant with dispensing practice and had a positive relation [AOR= 11.86, 95% CI (5.821-24.190)]. Approximately (74.9%) of respondents had a good practice and about 65.6% had a good knowledge on dispensing ECP. Majority (93.4%) had a positive attitude towards ECP yet some of the respondents (54.2%) had conservative belief about the Over the Counter (OTC) availability of ECP. ECP related knowledge was higher among the age group 40-49 years, Bphamacy degree holders with experience above 10 years and pharmacies located inside the city and in the Kathmandu district. After adjusting the possible confounder variables, age, degree and district of pharmacy were significantly associated with knowledge. Similarly, respondents’s practice towards ECP was higher among the age group 40-49 years with experience above 10 years and pharmacies located inside the city and in the Kathmandu district. Adjusted for other variables, only pharmacies located at Kathmandu district was significantly associated with practice. Conclusion The dispensers lacked specific significant information on ECP and posed a conservative perception of its’ OTC availability, despite good overall knowledge and positive attitude. Hence, training on proper counseling strategies should be afoot to refine service delivery.
The effects of an educational program on knowledge, attitudes and intentions regarding condom and emergency contraceptive pill use among Thai female university students
