چكيده لاتين :
Background and purpose: Nowadays, using emergency contraception with using high dose oral contraceptive pills method is recommended as one of the most reliable methods to avoid unwanted pregnancy resulting from an unprotected sexual intercourse. In this regard, pharmacists can play a major role in offering correct information and advice to the patients/customers. This study was designed to investigate the knowledge and behavior of the pharmacists regarding emergency contraception method in Tehran. Concurrently, possible covariates related to the pharmacistsʹ knowledge were evaluated
Methods: Firstly, a straightforward structured questionnaire containing information about demography of pharmacists and questions assessing pharmacistsʹ knowledge on emergency contraception method was organized. 100 pharmacies were evaluated in this study. Researcher (standard patient) attended in the pharmacies in 2 stages. In the first stage, she went to the pharmacies as a simulated customer and had a direct face-to-face interview with the pharmacist, asking questions about the method. Answers were entered the forms as soon as after leaving the pharmacies. In the second stage, the researcher attended in pharmacies to gather some demographic data.". Findings: Overall, 100 pharmacists including 64 males and 36 females with the mean ± SD age of 42/98 ± 13/05 years selected.71 pharmacists were informed about existence of emergency contraception method with using HD tablet but only 28 pharmacists correctly answered all of the questions. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that female pharmacists have a higher level of knowledge about the emergency contraception method (r = - 0.35, p<0.0001). Interestingly, attendance (or not attendance) of pharmacists in continuous educational programs containing lectures on OCP had no relationship with their knowledge about emergency contraception method.
Conclusion: Findings of this study exposed that knowledge of pharmacists about the emergency contraception is disappointingly very limited and unsatisfactory. Considering the unique position and role of pharmacists in delivering drug information to the public, improving their knowledge about emergency contraception method especially male pharmacists is crucial.
