Reducing Unintended Pregnancies via Community Pharmacies:Development of Intervention Messages and Materials

Introduction: In the U.S., 45-49% of pregnancies are unintended. The role of community pharmacists in reducing unintended pregnancy is not clear.

Objective: Use data from pharmacists and consumers to design social marketing messages/materials for a pharmacy intervention to reduce unintended pregnancies.

Methods: Pharmacy Access Partnership social marketing materials, supplemented with 5 Iowa-specific datasets. Pharmacists and consumers throughout Iowa. Data were obtained through (1) an advisory board of consumers and pharmacists, (2) 52-item pharmacy fax survey, (3) individual pharmacist phone interviews, (4) four consumer focus groups of 18-30 year olds, and (5) 89-item telephone survey of Iowa women age 18-30. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Main themes were identified using content analysis of focus groups and phone interview data. All analyses were supplemented with advisory board feedback.

Results: The social marketing materials will be posters, section signs, educational brochures and shelf-talkers that pharmacists will display over two years. An example of a shelf-talker (5” by 3” sign on shelf next to products) message is “Did you know?” with facts such as “there are more choices than pills and condoms,” or “Be prepared until you are ready…50% of pregnancies in Iowa are not planned.” Pharmacists indicated a desire to have materials suggest consumers talk with them. Consumers indicated that awareness of the availability of pharmacists to discuss pregnancy prevention and a private area were important. New messages include “Take a brochure or talk with our pharmacist in a confidential environment.”

Conclusion: New social marketing messages were developed for future pharmacy intervention.