Have purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia?
Abstract Objectives: There is limited epidemiological data on the performance of different refrigerator types for vaccine storage in the real world. This study aims to measure if the introduction of purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators has reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia. Method...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2012-12-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00932.x |
| _version_ | 1797711926614032384 |
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| author | Katina D'Onise Sara Almond Breda MacDonald Maureen Watson Sophie Scrimgeour |
| author_facet | Katina D'Onise Sara Almond Breda MacDonald Maureen Watson Sophie Scrimgeour |
| author_sort | Katina D'Onise |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objectives: There is limited epidemiological data on the performance of different refrigerator types for vaccine storage in the real world. This study aims to measure if the introduction of purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators has reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia. Methods: Data were taken from a register for all recorded vaccine storage cold chain events in South Australia from 2008 to 2009 and a survey of vaccine providers conducted in 2009. Results: There were 531 respondents to the survey (51% response rate). A greater proportion of cold chain breaches in purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators did not lead to a loss of vaccine (10.3%) compared with the other refrigerator types. Purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators had a relative risk of 3.31 (95% CI, 2.15–5.11) of a heat event (as opposed to cold event) and were more likely to have a cold chain breach from electrical failure (relative risk ratio 15.05, 95% CI 4.04–56.05) than bar refrigerators. The average cost of loss of vaccine for purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators was $2,321.20, which was greater than the cost of vaccine loss from a bar refrigerator of $1,339.06 (95% CI $61.47–1,902.82). Conclusions: Although purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators were less likely to lead to vaccine loss per cold chain breach, they had a greater average cost of vaccine loss per cold chain event because they held a greater volume of vaccine. There is a need for development of Standards to guide purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators manufacturing and a review of the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines to place a greater emphasis on the need for back up plans in the event of electrical failure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:14:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6ecec04d2e6d4772b684ed44b349da87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:14:12Z |
| publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-6ecec04d2e6d4772b684ed44b349da872023-09-02T22:56:33ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052012-12-0136657257610.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00932.xHave purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia?Katina D'Onise0Sara Almond1Breda MacDonald2Maureen Watson3Sophie Scrimgeour4Communicable Disease Control Branch, SA Health, South AustraliaCommunicable Disease Control Branch, SA Health, South AustraliaCommunicable Disease Control Branch, SA Health, South AustraliaCommunicable Disease Control Branch, SA Health, South AustraliaSchool of Medical Sciences, Flinders University, South AustraliaAbstract Objectives: There is limited epidemiological data on the performance of different refrigerator types for vaccine storage in the real world. This study aims to measure if the introduction of purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators has reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia. Methods: Data were taken from a register for all recorded vaccine storage cold chain events in South Australia from 2008 to 2009 and a survey of vaccine providers conducted in 2009. Results: There were 531 respondents to the survey (51% response rate). A greater proportion of cold chain breaches in purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators did not lead to a loss of vaccine (10.3%) compared with the other refrigerator types. Purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators had a relative risk of 3.31 (95% CI, 2.15–5.11) of a heat event (as opposed to cold event) and were more likely to have a cold chain breach from electrical failure (relative risk ratio 15.05, 95% CI 4.04–56.05) than bar refrigerators. The average cost of loss of vaccine for purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators was $2,321.20, which was greater than the cost of vaccine loss from a bar refrigerator of $1,339.06 (95% CI $61.47–1,902.82). Conclusions: Although purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators were less likely to lead to vaccine loss per cold chain breach, they had a greater average cost of vaccine loss per cold chain event because they held a greater volume of vaccine. There is a need for development of Standards to guide purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators manufacturing and a review of the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines to place a greater emphasis on the need for back up plans in the event of electrical failure.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00932.xvaccinerefrigerationvaccine storagecold chainvaccine wastageimmunisation |
| spellingShingle | Katina D'Onise Sara Almond Breda MacDonald Maureen Watson Sophie Scrimgeour Have purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health vaccine refrigeration vaccine storage cold chain vaccine wastage immunisation |
| title | Have purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia? |
| title_full | Have purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia? |
| title_fullStr | Have purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Have purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia? |
| title_short | Have purpose‐built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in South Australia? |
| title_sort | have purpose built vaccine refrigerators reduced the cost of vaccine losses in south australia |
| topic | vaccine refrigeration vaccine storage cold chain vaccine wastage immunisation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00932.x |
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