Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39542715›Full record

ArticleSexually transmitted infections2025

Qualitative exploration of the barriers and facilitators to community pharmacy PrEP delivery for UK pharmacists and underserved community members using the COM-B model of behaviour change.

China Harrison, Hannah Family, Joanna Kesten, Sarah Denford, Jennifer Scott, Caroline Sabin, Joanna Copping, Lindsey Harryman, Sarah Cochrane, John Saunders and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sexually transmitted infections, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Article
  3. Influencing Factors for the Acceptability of Accessing HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis via Community Pharmacies in Wales.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

China HarrisonNational Institute for Health and Care Research, Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, Bristol Bristol, UK china.harrison@bristol.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0003-3671-7866
Hannah FamilyNational Institute for Health and Care Research, Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, Bristol Bristol, UK.
Joanna KestenNational Institute for Health and Care Research, Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, Bristol Bristol, UK.
Sarah DenfordNational Institute for Health and Care Research, Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, Bristol Bristol, UK.
Jennifer ScottCentre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC), Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Caroline SabinInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.
Joanna CoppingCommunities and Public Health, Bristol City Council, Bristol, UK.
Lindsey HarrymanUniversity Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.
Sarah CochraneRoyal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Bath, UK.
John SaundersUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Ross Hamilton-ShawGilead Sciences Europe Ltd, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK.
Jeremy HorwoodNational Institute for Health and Care Research, Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, Bristol Bristol, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesExpanding delivery of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to community pharmacies could improve access, aligning well with the UK government's goals to eliminate new HIV acquisitions by 2030. Using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour (COM-B) model for behaviour change, the aim of this research was to explore the barriers and facilitators of community pharmacy PrEP delivery, for pharmacists and community members.

methodsCommunity members at elevated risk of acquiring HIV and community pharmacists were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed within the framework of the COM-B model.

results17 interviews with pharmacists (pharmacy owners n=7; employed pharmacists n=6; locums n=4) and 24 with community members (black African women n=6; other women n=2; young adults aged 18-25 years n=6; transgender people n=6; female sex workers n=4) were carried out. Capability barriers included suboptimal awareness and knowledge of PrEP, pharmacy facilities and pharmacist roles in delivering public health services. Opportunity barriers included a lack of staff capacity, privacy and pharmacy screening and monitoring facilities. Motivational barriers included a concern that increased access could increase sexually transmitted infections and involve a financial cost. Capability facilitators included awareness raising, HIV and PrEP training and education. Opportunity facilitators included PrEP appointments and the accessibility of pharmacies. Motivational facilitators included a preference for pharmacy delivery over other models (eg, sexual health, General Practitioner (GP)), and a belief that it would be discrete and less stigmatising.

conclusionPharmacy PrEP delivery is acceptable but for it to be feasible, results point to the need for the development of a behaviour change intervention focusing on education, training and awareness raising, targeting pharmacists and community members to stimulate patient activation and de-stigmatise HIV. This intervention would need to be facilitated by system and environmental changes (eg, commissioning service).

Indexed as

Community Pharmacy ServicesHIV InfectionsPharmacistsPre-Exposure ProphylaxisAdolescentAdultFemaleHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHealth Services AccessibilityHumansMaleMiddle AgedMotivationQualitative ResearchUnited KingdomYoung AdultHIVPre-Exposure ProphylaxisPREP

Identifiers

PMID39542715
PMCPMC12015042

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.