Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season
Older adults (≥65 years) are at elevated risk of influenza-related morbidity and mortality. Many developed countries do not achieve the World Health Organization influenza immunization target of 75% in people ≥65 years. We aimed to determine whether a brief pharmacy phone call could increase vaccine...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/4/312 |
| _version_ | 1797539930596966400 |
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| author | William David Strain James Mansi Constantina Boikos Michael Boivin William A. Fisher |
| author_facet | William David Strain James Mansi Constantina Boikos Michael Boivin William A. Fisher |
| author_sort | William David Strain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Older adults (≥65 years) are at elevated risk of influenza-related morbidity and mortality. Many developed countries do not achieve the World Health Organization influenza immunization target of 75% in people ≥65 years. We aimed to determine whether a brief pharmacy phone call could increase vaccine uptake of standard and enhanced influenza. Twenty-eight community pharmacists across Canada performed a telephone consultation with 643 older adults whose primary care records indicated that they had not received their influenza vaccination from their usual practitioner. Of these 643 adults, 169 (26.3%) had been vaccinated in another setting. Of the remaining 474, 313 (66%) agreed to receive the vaccine. Of those who refused vaccination, 69 provided a rationale for not wanting it, including that the flu shot “causes the flu” (<i>n</i> = 25), “doesn’t work” (<i>n</i> = 25), “is too painful” (<i>n</i> = 10), and other (<i>n</i> = 10). Overall, of the 643 individuals who had not received their vaccination from their usual health care provider in the first wave of vaccinations, 75.4% (<i>n</i> = 485) ultimately received their vaccination in the 2019–2020 season. This highlights the important role of the community pharmacist in achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) targets for vaccination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:52:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-01ec2952d2cc41a896a8e50ae5ae8797 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:52:49Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-01ec2952d2cc41a896a8e50ae5ae87972023-11-21T12:05:31ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2021-03-019431210.3390/vaccines9040312Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 SeasonWilliam David Strain0James Mansi1Constantina Boikos2Michael Boivin3William A. Fisher4Diabetes and Vascular Research Centre, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter EX2 5AX, UKCentre for Outcomes Research & Evaluation (CORE), Seqirus, QC H9H 4M7, CanadaCentre for Outcomes Research & Evaluation (CORE), Seqirus, QC H9H 4M7, CanadaIndependent Pharmacist Consultant, Barrie, ON L4N 6Z6, CanadaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Western University Canada, London, ON N6A 5C2, CanadaOlder adults (≥65 years) are at elevated risk of influenza-related morbidity and mortality. Many developed countries do not achieve the World Health Organization influenza immunization target of 75% in people ≥65 years. We aimed to determine whether a brief pharmacy phone call could increase vaccine uptake of standard and enhanced influenza. Twenty-eight community pharmacists across Canada performed a telephone consultation with 643 older adults whose primary care records indicated that they had not received their influenza vaccination from their usual practitioner. Of these 643 adults, 169 (26.3%) had been vaccinated in another setting. Of the remaining 474, 313 (66%) agreed to receive the vaccine. Of those who refused vaccination, 69 provided a rationale for not wanting it, including that the flu shot “causes the flu” (<i>n</i> = 25), “doesn’t work” (<i>n</i> = 25), “is too painful” (<i>n</i> = 10), and other (<i>n</i> = 10). Overall, of the 643 individuals who had not received their vaccination from their usual health care provider in the first wave of vaccinations, 75.4% (<i>n</i> = 485) ultimately received their vaccination in the 2019–2020 season. This highlights the important role of the community pharmacist in achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) targets for vaccination.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/4/312influenzavaccineimmunisationvaccine hesitancy |
| spellingShingle | William David Strain James Mansi Constantina Boikos Michael Boivin William A. Fisher Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season Vaccines influenza vaccine immunisation vaccine hesitancy |
| title | Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season |
| title_full | Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season |
| title_fullStr | Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season |
| title_full_unstemmed | Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season |
| title_short | Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season |
| title_sort | achieving influenza vaccine uptake target in canada via a pharmacy led telephone discussion during the 2019 2020 season |
| topic | influenza vaccine immunisation vaccine hesitancy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/4/312 |
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