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Supplying injecting equipment to drug misusers: a survey of community pharmacists' attitudes, beliefs and practices

A postal survey of 888 community pharmacists in one metropolitan administrative region of southern England investigated the pharmacists' involvement in the supply of injecting equipment to injecting drug misusers (IDMs). The survey response rate was 59 per cent. Of respondents, 58 per cent sold injecting equipment and almost 10 per cent supplied it via “exchange” schemes. The respondents' attitudes and beliefs towards provision of injecting equipment were measured on a five point scale. Providers of injecting equipment were significantly more likely than non‐providers to have a positive attitude towards supply, to perceive greater demand for injecting equipment, and to believe that “important others,” such as the pharmacy clientele and other health professionals, would like them to make equipment available. Certain demographic variables and specific beliefs were identified which differentiated between providers and non‐providers of injecting equipment. Pharmacists who did not supply injecting equipment were significantly more likely than providers to believe in negative outcomes of supply, such as theft from the pharmacy. The strong associations identified in this study, between service provision, attitudes and beliefs, have implications for shaping attitudes and encouraging pharmacists' future involvement in HIV‐prevention initiatives.