Dispensing mifepristone for medical abortion in Canada: Pharmacists' experiences of the first year.

Background: Mifepristone for medical abortion was first dispensed by community pharmacists in Canada directly to patients in January 2017. We asked about pharmacists' experiences over their first year dispensing mifepristone in order to evaluate the frequency of the new practice and assess availability in urban/rural pharmacies. Methods: From August to December 2019, we invited 433 community pharmacists who had completed a baseline survey at least 1 year prior to participate in a follow-up online survey. We summarized categorical data using counts and proportions and conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Results: Among 122 participants, 67.2% had dispensed the product, and 48.4% routinely stocked mifepristone. Pharmacists reported a mean of 26 and median of 3 (interquartile range, 1, 8) mifepristone prescriptions filled in their pharmacies in the previous year. Participants perceived that the benefits of making mifepristone available in pharmacies included increased abortion access for patients (n = 115; 94.3%), reduced pressure on the health care system (n = 104; 85.3%), increased rural and remote abortion access (n = 103; 84.4%) and increased interprofessional collaborations (n = 48; 39.3%). Few participants reported challenges to maintaining adequate stock of mifepristone, but these challenges included low demand (n = 24; 19.7%), short expiry dating (n = 12; 9.8%) and drug shortages (n = 8; 6.6%). The overwhelming majority, 96.7%, reported that their communities did not resist the provision of mifepristone by their pharmacy. Interpretation: Participating pharmacists reported many benefits and very few barriers to stocking and dispensing mifepristone. Both urban and rural communities responded positively to enhanced access to mifepristone in their community. Conclusions: Mifepristone is well accepted by pharmacists within the primary care system in Canada.

A Virtual Community of Practice to Support Physician Uptake of a Novel Abortion Practice: Mixed Methods Case Study.

BACKGROUND: Virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) have been used to support innovation and quality in clinical care. The drug mifepristone was introduced in Canada in 2017 for medical abortion. We created a VCoP to support implementation of mifepristone abortion practice across Canada. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the development and use of the Canadian Abortion Providers Support-Communauté de pratique canadienne sur l'avortement (CAPS-CPCA) VCoP and explore physicians' experience with CAPS-CPCA and their views on its value in supporting implementation. METHODS: This was a mixed methods intrinsic case study of Canadian health care providers' use and physicians' perceptions of the CAPS-CPCA VCoP during the first 2 years of a novel practice. We sampled both physicians who joined the CAPS-CPCA VCoP and those who were interested in providing the novel practice but did not join the VCoP. We designed the VCoP features to address known and discovered barriers to implementation of medication abortion in primary care. Our secure web-based platform allowed asynchronous access to information, practice resources, clinical support, discussion forums, and email notices. We collected data from the platform and through surveys of physician members as well as interviews with physician members and nonmembers. We analyzed descriptive statistics for website metrics, physicians' characteristics and practices, and their use of the VCoP. We used qualitative methods to explore the physicians' experiences and perceptions of the VCoP. RESULTS: From January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019, a total of 430 physicians representing all provinces and territories in Canada joined the VCoP and 222 (51.6%) completed a baseline survey. Of these 222 respondents, 156 (70.3%) were family physicians, 170 (80.2%) were women, and 78 (35.1%) had no prior abortion experience. In a survey conducted 12 months after baseline, 77.9% (120/154) of the respondents stated that they had provided mifepristone abortion and 33.9% (43/127) said the VCoP had been important or very important. Logging in to the site was burdensome for some, but members valued downloadable resources such as patient information sheets, consent forms, and clinical checklists. They found email announcements helpful for keeping up to date with changing regulations. Few asked clinical questions to the VCoP experts, but physicians felt that this feature was important for isolated or rural providers. Information collected through member polls about health system barriers to implementation was used in the project's knowledge translation activities with policy makers to mitigate these barriers. CONCLUSIONS: A VCoP developed to address known and discovered barriers to uptake of a novel medication abortion method engaged physicians from across Canada and supported some, including those with no prior abortion experience, to implement this practice. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028443.

Perspectives Among Canadian Physicians on Factors Influencing Implementation of Mifepristone Medical Abortion: A National Qualitative Study.

PURPOSE: Access to family planning health services in Canada has been historically inadequate and inequitable. A potential solution appeared when Health Canada approved mifepristone, the gold standard for medical abortion, in July 2015. We sought to investigate the factors that influence successful initiation and ongoing provision of medical abortion services among Canadian health professionals and how these factors relate to abortion policies, systems, and service access throughout Canada. METHODS: We conducted 1-on-1 semistructured interviews with a national sample of abortion-providing and nonproviding physicians and health system stakeholders in Canadian health care settings. Our data collection, thematic analysis, and interpretation were guided by Diffusion of Innovation theory. RESULTS: We conducted interviews with 90 participants including rural practitioners and those with no previous abortion experience. In the course of our study, Health Canada removed mifepristone restrictions. Our results suggest that Health Canada's initial restrictions discouraged physicians from providing mifepristone and were inconsistent with provincial licensing standards, thereby limiting patient access. Once deregulated, remaining factors were primarily related to local and regional implementation processes. Participants held strong perceptions that mifepristone was the new standard of care for medical abortion in Canada and within the scope of primary care practice. CONCLUSION: Health Canada's removal of mifepristone restrictions facilitated the implementation of abortion care in the primary care setting. Our results are unique because Canada is the first country to facilitate provision of medical abortion in primary care via evidence-based deregulation of mifepristone.

Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of First Trimester Medical Abortion With Mifepristone in the Province of Québec: A Qualitative Investigation.

OBJECTIVE: Mifepristone became available in Canada in January 2017, but provincial medical policy delayed its use for medical abortion (MA) in Québec for 1 year. The objective of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators experienced by physicians who could potentially provide this newer abortion practice in Québec. METHODS: This study was part of the Canadian Contraception and Abortion Research Team-Mifepristone Implementation Study, an observational, prospective, mixed-methods study. Interviews were conducted with physicians representing all health regions of Québec. Using thematic analysis guided by diffusion of innovation theory, the study identified key barriers and facilitators to implementation. RESULTS: From January 2017 to March 2018, study investigators interviewed 25 family physicians and 12 obstetrician-gynaecologists. Most were women (81%), over 40 years old (65%), with >20 years in practice since residency (49%). Less than half of the sample provided abortion services (41%), and only 8% provided MA with mifepristone. Key barriers to implementation were: (1) uncertainty or confusion about policies regarding MA, (2) lack of human resources or support from colleagues, (3) uncertainty about product distribution, (4) confusion about professional collaboration, and (5) lack of local infrastructure. Key facilitators were: (1) perception of support and influence from colleagues, (2) previous experience with provision of first trimester MA, (3) requests for first trimester MA by patients or other physicians, and (4) knowledge of research on mifepristone MA. CONCLUSION: Despite Health Canada's approval of mifepristone in Canada and supportive federal policies for provision of MA in primary care, physicians in the province of Québec face onerous barriers to the practice of mifepristone MA.

Slow implementation of mifepristone medical termination of pregnancy in Quebec, Canada: a qualitative investigation.

Objectives: Mifepristone for first-trimester medical termination of pregnancy (MTOP) became available in Quebec in 2018, one year after the rest of Canada. Using the theory of the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) and the transtheoretical model of change (TTM), we investigated factors influencing the implementation of mifepristone MTOP in Quebec.Material and Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 Quebec physicians in early 2018. Deductive thematic analysis guided by the theory of DOI explored facilitators and barriers to physicians' adoption of mifepristone MTOP. We then classified participants into five stages of mifepristone adoption based on the TTM. Follow-up data collection one year later assessed further adoption.Results: At baseline, three physicians provided mifepristone MTOP (Maintenance) and two were about to start (Action). Thirteen physicians at Preparation and Advanced Contemplation stages intended to start while, within the Slow Contemplation, two intended to start and ten were unsure. Seven had no intention to provide mifepristone MTOP (Pre-Contemplation). Major reported barriers were: complexity of local health care organisations, medical policy restrictions, lack of support, and general uncertainty. One year later, ten physicians provided mifepristone MTOP (including three at baseline) and nine still intended to, while seventeen did not intend to start provision. Seven of sixteen participants (44%) who worked in TOP clinics at baseline were still not providing MTOP with mifepristone one year later.Conclusion: Despite ideological support, mifepristone MTOP uptake in Quebec is slow and laborious, mainly due to restrictive medical policies, vested interests in surgical provision and administrative inertia.

Medications Used in Evidence-Based Regimens for Medical Abortion: An Overview.

OBJECTIVE: Abortion is one of the most common medical procedures a woman experiences in her lifetime. Even though overall rates of abortion are decreasing slightly, medical abortion rates are expected to increase in Canada following approval by Health Canada of a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol for use in medical abortion. METHODS: We conducted a literature review as part of the development of the 2016 Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada's Clinical Practice Guidelines on medical abortion. We searched the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases for articles published between 1986 and 2015 using the MeSH terms "induced abortion," "medical abortion," "mifepristone," "misoprostol," "methotrexate," and "prostaglandin." Additionally, we reviewed existing international medical abortion guidelines and searched reference lists. RESULTS: The most commonly studied medical abortion regimens are combinations of mifepristone and misoprostol, methotrexate and misoprostol, mifepristone and prostaglandin, and misoprostol only. Each of these regimens is a potential therapeutic choice; the advantages and disadvantages of each regimen are discussed. CONCLUSION: Drugs used for medical abortion are safe; however, clinicians who provide medical abortion and those who provide care to women who have undergone medical abortion should have an understanding of the pharmacokinetics and clinical effects of the medications used to improve outcomes and mitigate risk.

Medical Abortion.

OBJECTIVE: This guideline reviews the evidence relating to the provision of first-trimester medical induced abortion, including patient eligibility, counselling, and consent; evidence-based regimens; and special considerations for clinicians providing medical abortion care. INTENDED USERS: Gynaecologists, family physicians, registered nurses, midwives, residents, and other healthcare providers who currently or intend to provide pregnancy options counselling, medical abortion care, or family planning services. TARGET POPULATION: Women with an unintended first trimester pregnancy. EVIDENCE: Published literature was retrieved through searches of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library between July 2015 and November 2015 using appropriately controlled vocabulary (MeSH search terms: Induced Abortion, Medical Abortion, Mifepristone, Misoprostol, Methotrexate). Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, and observational studies published from June 1986 to November 2015 in English. Additionally, existing guidelines from other countries were consulted for review. A grey literature search was not required. VALUES: The quality of evidence in this document was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force for Preventive Medicine rating scale (Table 1). BENEFITS, HARMS AND/OR COSTS: Medical abortion is safe and effective. Complications from medical abortion are rare. Access and costs will be dependent on provincial and territorial funding for combination mifepristone/misoprostol and provider availability. SUMMARY STATEMENTS: Introduction Pre-procedure care Medical abortion regimens Providing medical abortion Post-abortion care RECOMMENDATIONS: Introduction Pre-procedure care Medical abortion regimens Providing medical abortion Post-abortion care.

Measuring interprofessional competencies and attitudes among health professional students creating family planning virtual patient cases.

BACKGROUND: The Virtual Interprofessional Patients-Computer-Assisted Reproductive Health Education for Students (VIP-CARES) Project took place during the summers of 2010-2012 for eight weeks each year at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Undergraduate health care students worked collaboratively to develop virtual patient case-based learning modules on the topic of family planning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in perception towards interprofessional collaboration (IPC) among the participants, before and after the project. METHODS: This study utilized a mixed methods evaluation using self-assessment survey instruments, semi-structured interviews, and reflective essays. Pre- and post- project surveys were adapted from the Canadian Medical Education Determinants (CanMEDS) and Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) frameworks, as well as the Memorial University Interprofessional Attitudes (IPA) questionnaire. The survey results were analyzed as mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) on Likert scales. The non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine if any significant changes were measured between each participant's differences in score (p ≤ 0.05). Post-project interview transcripts and essays were analyzed using recursive abstraction to elicit any themes. RESULTS: Altogether, 26 students in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, counselling psychology, and computer science participated in VIP-CARES, during the three years. Student attitudes toward IPC were positive before and after the project. At the project's conclusion, there was a statistically significant increase in the participants' self-assessment competency scores in the CanMEDS roles of health advocate (p = 0.05), manager (p = 0.02), and medical expert (p = 0.03), as well as the CIHC domains of interprofessional communication (p = 0.04), role clarification (p = 0.01), team functioning (p = 0.05), and collaborative leadership (p = 0.01). Qualitative evaluations yielded three major themes: communication and respect as key to team functioning, importance of role clarification within the team, and existence of inherent challenges to IPC. From the reflections, students generally felt more comfortable with their improvements in the CIHC domains of interprofessional communication, team functioning, and role clarification. CONCLUSION: After working within an interdisciplinary team developing virtual patient learning modules on family planning, the student participants of the VIP-CARES Project indicated general improvement in the skills necessary for effective interprofessional collaboration. Triangulation of the overall data suggests this was especially observed within the areas of interprofessional communication, team functioning, and role clarification.

What proportion of Canadian women will accept an intrauterine contraceptive at the time of second trimester abortion? Baseline data from a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This report details enrolment findings related to a Canadian randomized controlled trial comparing immediate to delayed intrauterine contraception (IUC) placement after a second trimester abortion. We report acceptance of IUC, satisfaction with prior contraception, adherence to the CONSORT criteria, and challenges faced in the recruitment process. METHODS: Women seeking second trimester abortion and selecting either of two methods of IUC as their preferred contraception method were enrolled and randomized to insertion either immediately post-abortion or four weeks later. Enrolled participants completed a Contraception Satisfaction Questionnaire detailing prior contraceptive satisfaction. RESULTS: Among 1813 women assessed, 1500 (83%) met eligibility criteria and IUC was chosen for post-abortion contraception by over one half of them (792/1500, 53%). When both types of device were available cost-free, women selected the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system more than 20 times more frequently than a copper IUD. Participants had an average age of 26.0 (standard deviation [SD] 6.8) years, and an average gestational age of 16.1 (SD 3.1) weeks. Almost one half (48.4%) had had a prior abortion and 46.9% had a prior delivery. Two thirds of participants were using a contraception method at the time of conception, but almost one third of these were using methods in the lowest tiers of effectiveness. There was a weak correlation between prior contraceptive compliance and education level. CONCLUSION: More than one half of eligible women seeking a second-trimester abortion chose IUC for post-abortion contraception. In Canada, health care for unintended pregnancies is universally subsidized but contraception is not. Offering comprehensive information on the range of contraceptive methods and providing cost-free IUC is an effective strategy to increase uptake of intrauterine contraception among Canadian women who wish to prevent further unintended pregnancy.

Objectif : Ce rapport présente, de façon détaillée, les résultats en matière de participation issus d'un essai comparatif randomisé canadien ayant comparé la mise en place immédiate d'un dispositif de contraception intra-utérine (CIU), à la suite d'un avortement mené au deuxième trimestre, au report d'une telle mise en place. Nous nous y prononçons au sujet de l'acceptation de la CIU, de la satisfaction envers le mode de contraception utilisé au préalable, du respect des critères CONSORT et des défis rencontrés dans le cadre du processus de recrutement. Méthodes : Nous avons sollicité la participation de femmes demandant à obtenir un avortement au deuxième trimestre et choisissant l'un de deux modes de CIU à titre de mode de contraception privilégié; ces femmes ont par la suite été affectées au hasard à un groupe devant bénéficier de l'insertion du mode de CIU choisi immédiatement à la suite de l'avortement ou à un groupe devant bénéficier d'une telle insertion quatre semaines plus tard. Les participantes ont rempli un questionnaire au sujet de la satisfaction en matière de contraception qui cherchait à rendre compte de leur satisfaction envers les modes de contraception utilisés au préalable. Résultats : Parmi les 1 813 femmes évaluées, 1 500 (83 %) ont satisfait aux critères d'admission et plus de la moitié d'entre elles (792/1 500, 53 %) ont choisi la CIU à titre de mode de contraception post-avortement. Lorsque les deux types de dispositifs étaient offerts gratuitement, les femmes ont choisi le système intra-utérin à libération de lévonorgestrel plus de 20 fois plus fréquemment que le DIU de cuivre. L'âge moyen des participantes était de 26,0 ans (écart-type [σ] : 6,8 ans) et leur âge gestationnel moyen était de 16,1 semaines (σ : 3,1 semaines). Près de la moitié des participantes (48,4 %) avait déjà connu un avortement et 46,9 % d'entre elles avaient déjà connu un accouchement. Les deux tiers des participantes utilisaient un mode de contraception au moment de la conception; toutefois, près du tiers d'entre elles utilisaient des modes de contraception se situant aux niveaux d'efficacité les plus faibles. Une faible corrélation a été constatée entre l'observance du mode de contraception utilisé au préalable et le niveau de scolarité. Conclusion : Plus de la moitié des femmes admissibles demandant à obtenir un avortement au deuxième trimestre ont choisi la CIU à titre de mode de contraception post-avortement. Au Canada, les soins de santé offerts en présence d'une grossesse non souhaitée sont universellement couverts par l'État, mais la contraception ne l'est pas. L'offre de renseignements exhaustifs au sujet de la gamme des modes de contraception disponibles et le fait d'offrir un accès gratuit à la CIU constituent une stratégie efficace, en vue d'accroître la mesure dans laquelle une contraception intra-utérine est réclamée par les Canadiennes qui souhaitent prévenir d'autres grossesses non souhaitées.

Improving access to quality contraceptive counselling in community pharmacy: examining the knowledge, attitudes and practices of community pharmacists in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Across most of Australia, the role of community pharmacists in contraceptive care has been unchanged since 2004. To understand their current scope of practice and potential for practice advancements, we examined community pharmacists' contraceptive knowledge and their attitudes, practices and perceived barriers to and benefits of contraceptive counselling provision. METHODS: A nationwide postal survey was conducted between September and December 2020. We contacted a state/territory-stratified sample of 2149 community pharmacies and limited eligibility to one pharmacist per pharmacy. Summary statistics of respondent characteristics and parametric (χ2, linear regression) and non-parametric (Mann-Whitney, logistic regression) tests were computed for the outcomes: practices, knowledge (reported and tested), confidence, attitudes, barriers and benefits. RESULTS: Eligible responses were received from 366 pharmacies (19%). Pharmacists' median age was 34. Most (85% of) pharmacists agreed that contraceptive counselling fits within their current professional activities and emphasised benefits to their patients, including improved access to contraceptive decision support (80%), as being key motivators of counselling. A lack of payment mechanisms (66%), training opportunities (55%) and technical assistance tools (54%) were the most important barriers. Self-rated knowledge and confidence were highest for combined oral contraceptive pills and lowest for the copper intrauterine device (IUD). When tested, pharmacists were very knowledgeable about method, dosage, frequencies and costs, and relatively less knowledgeable about side-effects and IUD suitability for adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Community pharmacists provide contraceptive information and counselling but lack the necessary resources and support to be able to consistently provide quality, person-centred care. Remuneration mechanisms, training opportunities and pharmacy-specific professional resources need to be explored.

An Indigenous health elective - Perspectives of pharmacy undergraduate students and alumni.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Health professional programs, including pharmacy, have increased Indigenization efforts through cultural safety learning. The objective of this paper is to describe student and alumni interest, impact, and perceptions for improvement of an undergraduate elective course on Indigenous health. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: A three-credit elective course was developed with an Indigenous advisory committee and a two-phase mixed-methods design incorporating pre- and post-course surveys and interviews for pharmacy students was implemented from 2013 to 2016. In 2019, all previous students enrolled in the course, now alumni and practicing pharmacists were invited to participate in an online survey and follow-up interview. FINDINGS: A total of 87 students and 21 alumni participated. The course appeared to have considerable impact on students' interest in course topics, specifically Canadian history of colonialism and impact on health. The course generated an increased interest in both Indigenous-oriented practicums and future practice setting. Self-perceived efficacy in providing care to Indigenous patients increased post-course and was sustained in alumni. Three major themes emerged: course should be mandatory and/or more widely available to all students, incorporate more experiential learning (such as educational field trips), and understanding of Indigenous history and impact on health care was a key learning outcome. SUMMARY: A lecture-based elective course increased interest in Indigenous health topics, changed current perspectives on Indigenous health needs, and improved self-perceived efficacy in providing care. Students and alumni felt course content should be more widely available and highlighted the importance of increased experiential learning opportunities.

Pharmacist direct dispensing of mifepristone for medication abortion in Canada: a survey of community pharmacists.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacists were acknowledged as the most appropriate healthcare professional to dispense mifepristone for medication abortion shortly after the prescription therapy became available in January 2017 in Canada. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify the facilitators and barriers for successful initiation and ongoing dispensing of mifepristone among community pharmacists across Canada. STUDY DESIGN: We surveyed community pharmacists from urban/rural practice settings across Canada by recruiting from January 2017 to January 2019 through pharmacist organisations, professional networks, at mifepristone training courses and at professional conferences. The Diffusion of Innovations theory informed the study design, thematic analysis and interpretation of findings. We summarised categorical data using counts and proportions, χ2 tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum and proportional odds logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 433 responses from dispensing community pharmacists across 10/13 Canadian provinces and territories, 93.1% indicated they were willing and ready to dispense mifepristone. Key facilitators were access to a private consultation setting (91.4%), the motivation to increase accessibility for patients (87.5%) and to reduce pressure on the healthcare system (75.3%). The cost of the mifepristone/misoprostol product was an initial barrier, subsequently resolved by universal government subsidy. A few pharmacists mentioned liability, lack of prescribers or inadequate stock as barriers. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacist respondents from across Canada reported being able and willing to dispense mifepristone and rarely mentioned barriers to stocking/dispensing the medication in the community pharmacy setting. The removal of initial regulatory obstacles to directly dispense mifepristone to patients facilitated the provision of medication abortion in the primary care setting.

Pharmacist dispensing of the abortion pill in Canada: Diffusion of Innovation meets integrated knowledge translation.

BACKGROUND: Since Canadian drug regulatory approval of mifepristone for medical abortion in 2015 and its market availability in January 2017, the role of pharmacists in abortion provision has changed rapidly. We sought to identify the factors that influenced the initiation and provision of medical abortion from the perspectives of Canadian pharmacists, bridging two frameworks - Diffusion of Innovation in Health Service Organizations and integrated knowledge translation. METHODS: We conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with pharmacists residing in Canada who intended to stock and dispense mifepristone within the first year of availability. Our data collection, analysis, and interpretation were guided by reflexive thematic analysis and supported by an integrated knowledge translation partnership with pharmacy stakeholders. RESULTS: We completed interviews with 24 participants from across Canada: 33% had stocked and 21% had dispensed mifepristone. We found that pharmacists were willing and able to integrate medical abortion care into their practice and that those who had initiated practice were satisfied with their dispensing experience. Our analysis indicated that several key Diffusion of Innovation constructs impacted the uptake of mifepristone, including: innovation (relative advantage, complexity and compatibility, technical support), system readiness (innovation-system fit, dedicated time, resources), diffusion and dissemination (expert opinion, boundary spanners, champions, social networks, peer opinions), implementation (external collaboration), and linkage. Participants' experiences suggest that integrated knowledge translation facilitated evidence-based changes to mifepristone dispensing restrictions, and communication of those changes to front line pharmacists. CONCLUSIONS: We illustrate how Diffusion of Innovation and integrated knowledge translation may work together as complimentary frameworks for implementation science research. Unlike in the USA, UK, and other highly regulated settings globally, pharmacists in Canada are permitted to dispense mifepristone for medical abortion. We contribute to literature that shows that mifepristone dispensed outside of hospitals, clinics, and medical offices is safe and acceptable to both patients and prescribers. This finding is of particular importance to the current COVID-19 pandemic response and calls for continued and equitable access to abortion care in primary practice.

Dispensing and practice use patterns, facilitators and barriers for uptake of ulipristal acetate emergency contraception in British Columbia: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Ulipristal acetate 30 mg became available as prescription-only emergency contraception in British Columbia, Canada, in September 2015, as an addition to over-the-counter levonorgestrel emergency contraception. In this study, we determined dispensing and practice use patterns for ulipristal acetate, as well as facilitators of and barriers to emergency contraception for physicians, pharmacists and patients in BC. METHODS: In the quantitative component of this mixed-methods study, we examined ulipristal acetate use from September 2015 to December 2018 using a database that captures all outpatient prescription dispensations in BC (PharmaNet) and another capturing market sales numbers for all oral emergency contraception in BC (IQVIA). We analyzed the quantitative data descriptively. We conducted semistructured interviews from August to November 2019, exploring barriers and facilitators affecting the use of ulipristal acetate. We performed iterative qualitative data collection and thematic analysis guided by Michie's Theoretical Domains Framework. RESULTS: Over the 3-year study period, 318 patients filled 368 prescriptions for ulipristal acetate. Use of this agent increased between 2015 and 2018. However, levonorgestrel use by sales (range 118 897-129 478 units/yr) was substantially higher than use of ulipristal acetate (range 128-389 units/yr). In the 39 interviews we conducted, from the perspectives of 12 patients, 12 community pharmacists, and 15 prescribers, we identified the following themes and respective theoretical domains as barriers to access: low awareness of ulipristal acetate (knowledge), beliefs and experiences related to shame and stigma (beliefs about consequences), and multiple health system barriers (reinforcement). INTERPRETATION: Use of ulipristal acetate in BC was low compared with use of levonorgestrel emergency contraception; lack of knowledge, beliefs about consequences and health system barriers may be important impediments to expanding use of ulipristal acetate. These findings illuminate potential factors to explain low use of this agent and point to the need for additional strategies to support implementation.

Could implementation of mifepristone address Canada's urban-rural abortion access disparity: a mixed-methods implementation study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: In January 2017, mifepristone-induced medical abortion was made available in Canada. In this study, we will seek to (1) understand facilitators and barriers to the implementation of mifepristone across Canada, (2) assess the impact of a 'community of practice' clinical and health service support platform and (3) engage in and assess the impact of integrated knowledge translation (iKT) activities aimed to improve health policy, systems and service delivery issues to enhance patient access to mifepristone. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This prospective mixed-methods implementation study will involve a national sample of physicians and pharmacists recruited via an online training programme, professional networks and a purpose-built community of practice website. Surveys that explore constructs related to diffusion of innovation and Godin's behaviour change frameworks will be conducted at baseline and at 6 months, and qualitative data will be collected from electronic interactions on the website. Survey participants and a purposeful sample of decision-makers will be invited to participate in in-depth interviews. Descriptive analyses will be conducted for quantitative data. Thematic analysis guided by the theoretical frameworks will guide interpretation of qualitative data. We will conduct and assess iKT activities involving Canada's leading health system and health professional leaders, including evidence briefs, Geographical Information System (GIS)maps, face-to-face meetings and regular electronic exchanges. Findings will contribute to understanding the mechanisms of iKT relationships and activities that have a meaningful effect on uptake of evidence into policy and practice. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was received from the University of British Columbia Children's and Women's Hospital Ethics Review Board (H16-01006). Full publication of the work will be sought in an international peer-reviewed journal. Findings will be disseminated to research participants through newsletters and media interviews, and to policy-makers through invited evidence briefs and face-to-face presentations.

An evaluation of patients' willingness to trade symptom-free days for asthma-related treatment risks: a discrete choice experiment.

BACKGROUND: Not taking treatment preferences into account may lead to patients' inappropriate use of asthma treatments. The objective of this study was to quantify these preferences, in terms of risk-benefits trade-offs, for six asthma treatment attributes using a discrete choice experiment (DCE). METHODS: Adult asthma patients (n = 157) participated in the study. The custom-designed DCE measured preferences for treatment effectiveness (symptom-free days), potential risk (oral thrush and tremor/heart palpitation), ease of use (frequency of daily administration and number of inhalers required), and cost. A nested logit model was used to determine the relative preferences of each attribute, from which the marginal rates of substitution were calculated. Segmented models were used to test for interactions between cost and treatment benefit with socioeconomic status and medication use. RESULTS: Relationships between preferences and all attributes were in the hypothesized direction. On average, patients were willing to pay an additional $14 per month to receive one additional symptom-free day, and $26, $79, and $112 monthly to avoid one, two, and three annual episodes of oral thrush, respectively. Income and the magnitude of short-acting beta -agonist use also affected treatment preferences. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, asthma patients desired treatments that offered more symptom-free days, but they were willing to trade days without symptoms in exchange for a reduction in adverse events and greater convenience.