'Fighting an uphill battle': a qualitative study of the challenges encountered by pharmacy workers when providing services to men who have sex with men in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
HIV
MSM
STI
Tanzania
discrimination
pharmacies
Journal
Global health action
ISSN: 1654-9880
Titre abrégé: Glob Health Action
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101496665
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
31 12 2020
31 12 2020
Historique:
entrez:
9
6
2020
pubmed:
9
6
2020
medline:
16
3
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Previous research suggests that Tanzanian MSM might prefer consulting pharmacies and drugstores, rather than public healthcare services, when in need of STI medicines and treatment. Yet, few studies have explored the experiences of providing services to MSM clients among those working at pharmacies and drugstores and examined what challenges they encounter in providing these services. To gain increased knowledge and understanding of the perceived challenges encountered by pharmacists and drugstore workers when providing STI services to MSM clients in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In early 2016, 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with persons working at private pharmacies and drugstores in Dar es Salaam. Data were interpreted through qualitative content analysis. The overarching theme that emerged was labelled 'Fighting an uphill battle', which reflected the challenges pharmacy workers experienced during interactions with MSM clients, and in particular service provision. Pharmacy workers tried to act upon the best of their knowledge to meet the needs of clients, given their understanding of risks and obstacles that MSM faced. Yet, the lack of educational and professional preparedness and insufficient financial and human resources, regarded as necessary to meet the needs of a stigmatised client group, formed barriers for effective service delivery. In order to support pharmacists and drug-store workers in Tanzania to address perceived challenges for service delivery to MSM clients, systematic and continuous training on MSM's sexual health is required.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Previous research suggests that Tanzanian MSM might prefer consulting pharmacies and drugstores, rather than public healthcare services, when in need of STI medicines and treatment. Yet, few studies have explored the experiences of providing services to MSM clients among those working at pharmacies and drugstores and examined what challenges they encounter in providing these services.
OBJECTIVE
To gain increased knowledge and understanding of the perceived challenges encountered by pharmacists and drugstore workers when providing STI services to MSM clients in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
METHOD
In early 2016, 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with persons working at private pharmacies and drugstores in Dar es Salaam. Data were interpreted through qualitative content analysis.
RESULTS
The overarching theme that emerged was labelled 'Fighting an uphill battle', which reflected the challenges pharmacy workers experienced during interactions with MSM clients, and in particular service provision. Pharmacy workers tried to act upon the best of their knowledge to meet the needs of clients, given their understanding of risks and obstacles that MSM faced. Yet, the lack of educational and professional preparedness and insufficient financial and human resources, regarded as necessary to meet the needs of a stigmatised client group, formed barriers for effective service delivery.
CONCLUSIONS
In order to support pharmacists and drug-store workers in Tanzania to address perceived challenges for service delivery to MSM clients, systematic and continuous training on MSM's sexual health is required.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32508263
doi: 10.1080/16549716.2020.1770985
pmc: PMC7448846
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
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