Established Evidence Results

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Pharmacies/Retail Clinics

Intervention Description: This was an observational cross-sectional survey study with no specific intervention. The objectives were to assess the extent of community pharmacies in Alabama providing pediatric immunization services, compare characteristics of providers versus non-providers, and identify factors associated with offering these services. The survey collected data on types of pediatric vaccines provided, perceived barriers, perceived roles of pharmacists as immunizers, and pharmacy/pharmacist characteristics.

Intervention Results: Only around half (50.8%) of the surveyed 240 Alabama community pharmacies reported providing pediatric immunization services to children aged 10 or younger in 2022. Influenza (91%) and COVID-19 (69.7%) vaccines were the most frequently offered pediatric vaccines, while other ACIP-recommended childhood vaccines like Haemophilus influenzae type b, inactivated poliovirus, and pneumococcal conjugate were provided by less than 15% of pharmacies offering pediatric vaccines. Pharmacies that did provide pediatric immunization services were more likely to be located in grocery or retail stores, had younger pharmacists, higher daily prescription volumes, higher pharmacy staffing levels, and perceived lower barriers related to implementation logistics compared to non-providers. After controlling for pharmacy characteristics, the implementation logistics barrier was the only significant factor associated with lower odds of offering pediatric immunization services.

Conclusion: The study concluded that addressing implementation logistics barriers, such as staffing, workflow, storage requirements etc., should be a key consideration when devising strategies to promote pediatric immunization services beyond influenza in community pharmacies. Insights from this study can inform policymakers and stakeholders in developing targeted interventions to enhance availability and uptake of all ACIP-recommended childhood vaccines through pharmacies. Future research with nationally representative samples is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing pharmacists' provision of pediatric vaccine services.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey study

Setting: Community pharmacies in Alabama, USA

Population of Focus: Community pharmacists

Sample Size: Survey was completed by 240 pharmacies out of 1172 pharmacies (20.5% response rate)

Age Range: The average age of the pharmacist participants was 41.8 years

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Pharmacies/Retail Clinics

Intervention Description: This paper makes recommendations for expanding pharmacists' authority to administer childhood vaccines, increasing use of state vaccination registries, continued pharmacist education on vaccines, and pharmacists advocating for childhood vaccinations.

Intervention Results: The PPAG recommends that states increase pharmacists' authority to vaccinate children, focusing on influenza, pneumococcal, meningococcal, HPV, and Tdap vaccines. Pharmacists should utilize state immunization registries and report to vaccine adverse event systems. Pharmacists should provide education to the public on childhood vaccine importance and safety, as well as pursue ongoing education themselves on the latest vaccine recommendations. Expanding pharmacists' roles in childhood vaccination can help improve suboptimal vaccination rates among U.S. children and adolescents.

Conclusion: This paper provides recommendations from the PPAG for expanding pharmacists' roles in providing childhood vaccines, rather than an intervention study.

Study Design: Position paper/recommendations from PPAG

Population of Focus: Pharmacists, policymakers

Age Range: Focused on childhood/pediatric vaccines