Vaccines (Mar 2021)

Achieving Influenza Vaccine Uptake Target in Canada via a Pharmacy-Led Telephone Discussion during the 2019–2020 Season

  • William David Strain,
  • James Mansi,
  • Constantina Boikos,
  • Michael Boivin,
  • William A. Fisher

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9040312
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 4
p. 312

Abstract

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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” (n = 25), “doesn’t work” (n = 25), “is too painful” (n = 10), and other (n = 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% (n = 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.

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