Assessment of the pharmacy service needs of HIV-positive outpatients receiving zidovudine

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pharmacy service needs of HIV-positive outpatients. DESIGN: Anonymous mail-in survey. SETTING: Accredited, not-for-profit, outpatient pharmacy. PATIENTS: A total of 226 men receiving refill prescriptions for zidovudine. Relevant demographics: for 91 percent, homosexual behavior was the primary HIV risk factor; 75 percent were HIV positive with low CD4+ count; 68 percent had been receiving zidovudine for less than 12 months. MEASUREMENTS: Survey questions determined patients' past experience and satisfaction with pharmacy services, description of pharmacy service needs, drug history, and sociodemographics. MAIN RESULTS: Confidentiality was desired by 90 percent of patients. Patients also expected to receive private medication counseling on zidovudine routinely and to receive other information upon request. Twenty patients expected no medication counseling. Such patients were more likely to have contracted HIV by transfusion or intravenous drug abuse (p less than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The perceived pharmacy service needs of outpatients taking zidovudine can reasonably be met in all ambulatory settings. Pharmacists must be aware that all patients do not have the same needs and should tailor their activities to the needs expressed by individual patients.