Community Pharmacists Crucial in RSV Vaccine Education Efforts
After shared decision making with their community pharmacist, patients were more likely to receive an RSV vaccine.
Patient counseling by community pharmacists can increase patient education around and uptake of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines, according to research published in the Journal of Pharmacy Technology.1
After shared decision making with their community pharmacist, patients were more likely to receive an RSV vaccine. | Image credit: tunanon - stock.adobe.com
Specific data around patient awareness and RSV vaccine education in adults. Researchers of the current study sought to evaluate knowledge of both RSV and RSV vaccines in adults aged 60 yeas and older; specifically, their goal was to assess adults’ understanding after the recent approval of an RSV vaccine for this age group.
A pilot study was conducted at 4 independent community pharmacies between September 2023 and March 2024, with a study cohort including any adults aged 60 years or older who presented to 1 of the 4 study sites for any reason. The primary study outcome was participants’ understanding of the RSV vaccine, as well as how their understanding influenced their willingness to be vaccinated.
After providing informed consent, participants completed a 14-question survey, then were given an educational handout about the RSV vaccine and were offered the option to receive immediate verbal counseling from a pharmacist. Participants were also eligible to receive the RSV vaccine at that point in time, regardless of whether they received pharmacist counseling.
READ MORE: At Higher Risk, Vaccine Efficacy, Uptake Are Crucial for Older Adult Populations
The study included 518 participants (48% aged 71 to 80 years; 61% women, 87% white). A total of 61% of participants reported experiencing long-term health problems, including cardiovascular disease (49%) and lung disease (21%).
Overall, survey results indicated that 78% of participants had not received any education from their health care provider about RSV, although 70% correctly identified how RSV may spread, 60% reported that they knew how to protect themselves, and 58% correctly identified that previous RSV infection does not confer immunity.
A total of 63% of participants agreed to receive the vaccine on the same day. Among those who refused, the top 3 reasons for vaccine refusal included recent vaccination, the lack of perceived necessity of vaccination, and concerns about adverse effects.
“A critical finding of this study is the lack of education on RSV provided by healthcare providers,” the researchers wrote, adding that this gap in knowledge may be due to a number of reasons, for example, study timing, the release date of the vaccine, or access to care.
Researchers also identified 3 actionable points that can be implemented to improve RSV vaccination in older adults:
Enhanced education efforts: Pharmacists and other health care providers should be prepared with sufficient resources for patient education.
Addressing vaccine hesitancy: These educational materials should respond to common concerns around vaccine hesitancy, such as safety, and emphasize the importance of vaccination.
Using community pharmacies: Due to the high rate of engagement, community pharmacies may be “pivotal points” for vaccine education and administration efforts.
Study limitations include the use of an English-language survey, possibly excluding non-English speaking individuals, the small sample size due to the limited number of sites, and the potential for inconsistencies in how the survey was explained to participants, potentially limiting generalizability.
“The willingness to receive the RSV vaccine was relatively high among participants who received verbal counseling and education from a pharmacist along with the educational handout, although vaccine hesitancy remains a barrier,” the researchers concluded. “This study emphasizes the critical role of a community pharmacist in healthcare delivery and the need for enhanced educational efforts to support vaccination programs and shared clinical healthcare decision making.”
READ MORE: Immunization Resource Center
Reference
1. Vascimini A, Deravi M, Perez G, et al. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): Independent community pharmacy impact in promoting prevention through immunization. J Pharm Technol. 2024;87551225241285324. Doi:10.1177/87551225241285324
