Farm Comunitarios. 2021 Apr 19;13(2):25-35. doi: 10.33620/FC.2173-9218.(2021/Vol13).002.05

Influenza vaccination coverage in the community pharmacy: reasons given and related absenteeism. Willingness to vaccinate the population

Baixauli-Fernández VJ1, Alacreu-García M2, Climent-Catalá MT3, Salar-Ibáñez L4, Prats-Mas R5, Aparicio-Cercós C4
1. Sociedad Española de Farmacia Clínica, Familiar y Comunitaria. Farmacia comunitaria en Mislata (Valencia). 2. Departamento de Matemáticas, Física y Ciencias Tecnológicas de la Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera. Alfara del Patriarca (Valencia). 3. Sociedad Española de Farmacia Clínica, Familiar y Comunitaria. Farmacia comunitaria en L’Olleria (Valencia). 4. Sociedad Española de Farmacia Clínica, Familiar y Comunitaria. Farmacia comunitaria en Valencia. 5. Sociedad Española de Farmacia Clínica, Familiar y Comunitaria. Farmacia comunitaria en Denia (Alicante).
Baixauli-Fernández VJ, Alacreu-García M, Climent-Catalá MT, Salar-Ibáñez L, Prats-Mas R, Aparicio-Cercós C. Influenza vaccination coverage in the community pharmacy: reasons given and related absenteeism. Willingness to vaccinate the population. Farm Comunitarios. 2021 Apr 19;13(2):25-35. doi: 10.33620/FC.2173-9218.(2021/Vol13).002.05
Abstract : 

Introduction: while the influenza vaccine is indicated for healthcare personnel, its coverage among Spanish community pharmacists is currently unknown. This study aims to quantify this coverage as well as evaluate the causes leading pharmacists to be inoculated or not, their flu-related absenteeism, whether they recommend the vaccine to risk groups, and their willingness to administer it in the pharmacy.

Methods: descriptive cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire aimed at community pharmacists throughout Spain. A descriptive analysis of the variables ­studied and of the association between vaccination and qualitative (Chi-square and Fisher test) and quantitative (ANOVA) variables was performed.

Results: a response rate of 9.4% (n=1,436). Pharmacists reported vaccinating around 30% in the three seasons under study (2016-2019), being 31-35.8% (IC95%) in the 2018-2019 season. Being a pharmacy owner/co-owner, professional experience, age, being vaccinated to avoid influenza and/or for responsibility, and being vaccinated in previous seasons are factors associated with being vaccinated (p<0.05). Being a member of SEFAC is also a factor. Flu-related absenteeism in the 2018-2019 season was 9.5%. Pharmacists who reported being vaccinated themselves were more likely to recommended the vaccine and more likely to administer it (p<0.05).

Conclusions: flu vaccination coverage among community pharmacists is low despite the absenteeism this causes. Making vaccination easier for pharmacists could increase coverage. Pharmacists recommend flu vaccination for at-risk patients and would be willing to vaccinate in licensed pharmacies.

 

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Editor: © SEFAC. Sociedad Española de Farmacia Clínica, Familiar y Comunitaria. 
Copyright© SEFAC. Sociedad Española de Farmacia Clínica, Familiar y Comunitaria. This article is available from url https://www.farmaceuticoscomunitarios.org/. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en

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