A Missing Piece of Diabetes Management: A Correctional Health Perspective.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2020 to evaluate type 1 diabetes (T1D) management during and between incarcerations at the Los Angeles County Jail. Inclusion criteria were men with a T1D diagnosis who had been incarcerated twice within 5 years with at least two hemoglobin A1c values during each incarceration and a minimum of 3 months in the community between incarcerations. The primary outcome was the percentage change in A1c after release compared with the A1c during incarcerations. Five patients met inclusion criteria. During the first and second incarcerations, mean A1c was reduced by 13% and 9.6%, respectively. While in the community, mean A1c increased by 14%. These results highlight the importance of comprehensive reentry programs for patients with T1D, including linkage to community resources for diabetes management, so health gains made during incarceration are not lost.

HPV Vaccination in Correctional Care: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Barriers Among Incarcerated Women.

Incarcerated women are at increased risk of developing cervical cancer and have high rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, an important cause of cervical cancer. However, many correctional facilities do not offer HPV vaccination to female inmates. This pilot survey study, conducted with incarcerated women aged 18 to 26 at a facility that does not offer the vaccine, assessed attitudes and knowledge about HPV and the HPV vaccine, acceptability of and barriers to in-prison HPV vaccination, and self-reported HPV vaccination rates. Most participants reported that they had not received the HPV vaccine but had positive attitudes toward it and would be willing to get it in prison. Correctional facilities should consider offering this preventive service to this vulnerable population.

Seeking emergency contraception in the United States: A review of access and barriers.

Federal regulations governing access to levonorgestrel (LNG) emergency contraception (EC) have evolved since its introduction in the 1990s. LNG EC was initially available by prescription only, but is now available over-the-counter to consumers of all ages. Nonetheless, consumers seeking EC in their communities may face ongoing barriers to access, including low stock and inaccurate information provided by pharmacy staff. We conducted a review of LNG EC secret shopper studies to describe changes in EC access and barriers over time. EC access was compared across all applicable studies, which were published during 2003-2016. When possible, reasons for EC unavailability, helpfulness of pharmacy staff when EC was not in stock, and accuracy of EC information provided by pharmacy staff were described. Overall, access to EC appeared to be improving. However, EC was unavailable during 31 percent of encounters. Pharmacy staff attributed this to "low demand" (30 percent) or EC being "out of stock" (21 percent). Personal objections (9 percent) and store policy (10 percent) were also cited in studies from earlier years. Inaccurate information provided by pharmacy staff persists regarding federal EC regulations, mechanism of action, and drug administration. Pharmacy staff should remain informed about EC and its regulations in order to reduce remaining access barriers.

Barriers to Single-Dose Levonorgestrel-Only Emergency Contraception Access in Retail Pharmacies.

OBJECTIVES: In February 2014, the Food and Drug Administration updated its regulations to make all single-dose levonorgestrel-only emergency contraception (LNG-EC) available over the counter. This study examines the availability and access to LNG-EC shortly after this policy change, and any additional barriers to obtaining LNG-EC in Colorado retail pharmacies. STUDY DESIGN: From June to July 2014, three female interviewers posing as women seeking LNG-EC conducted a telephone survey of all 633 Colorado retail pharmacies listed in The Little Blue Book (2014) phone directory. Completely accessible was defined as LNG-EC available on store shelves for purchase without presentation of an ID or prescription on the day of the call. RESULTS: Of 633 pharmacies analyzed, 85.0% (538/633) were in urban settings and 85.3% (540/633) were chain stores. Eighteen of 64 (28.1%) counties in Colorado did not have a pharmacy listed in the phone directory. Overall, 86.9% of pharmacies (550/633) had EC in stock on the day of contact but only 23.2% (147/633) of these had EC completely accessible. Of pharmacies with EC in stock, 41.6% (229/550) kept it behind the counter and 56.0% (308/550) required additional documentation to purchase. In stock and completely accessible rates were not different across rural, urban, and frontier geographic regions within the state (p = .066 and p = .905, respectively), but were significantly different across independent, chain, and 24-hour type stores (p < .001 and p = .008, respectively). In stock rates were 57.5% (42/73), 90.4% (488/540), and 100% (20/20) for independent, chain, and 24-hour stores respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of completely accessible LNG-EC are low in Colorado despite high rates of availability. Behind-the-counter status and proof-of-age requirements are identified as the main sources of access restriction in Colorado.