HIP PHARM is a multi-state research initiative focused on understanding how community retail pharmacies in Illinois and North Carolina provide access to HIV and overdose prevention services.
The study tracks how this access evolves over time, aiming to uncover systemic gaps and inform health policy.
Methodology
To capture real-time service availability, researchers conduct longitudinal mystery shopper calls to every retail pharmacy in both states. These calls assess whether pharmacies offer:
- Same-day access to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)
- Naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication
- Sterile syringes
- HIV self-testing kits
- Fentanyl test strips
- Buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder
This approach allows the team to monitor service fluctuations and identify patterns in accessibility.
Neighborhood-Level Analysis
The service data is layered with neighborhood-level indicators to better understand place-based disparities. These include:
- Local overdose rates
- HIV prevalence
- Demographic characteristics
By combining pharmacy-level and community-level data, the study aims to pinpoint where implementation gaps are most severe.
Community Engagement
Recognizing that data alone cannot drive change, HIP PHARM engages both pharmacy staff and people who inject drugs (PWID) in a multi-phase participatory process. This includes:
- Identifying real-world barriers to service delivery
- Co-designing practical strategies to expand access
- Elevating community voices in shaping solutions
This approach ensures that recommendations are grounded in lived experience and operational realities.
Study Goals
The ultimate goal of HIP PHARM is to inform policy and practice that supports the delivery of integrated HIV and overdose prevention services through pharmacies. Special attention is given to communities most impacted by these dual epidemics, where access to care is often most limited.
