Title
Determining patient motivators for respiratory syncytial virus in a community pharmacy
Authors
Sarah Stetzer, PharmD, Cherokee Layson-Wolf, PharmD, Hyunuk Seung, MS, Vicki Bulkin, PharmD
Learning Objective
Identify which marketing method had the most impact on patients’ decisions to receive RSV vaccine
Background/Objective
The primary objective is to determine which marketing methods are the main factors that impact patients’ decision to receive the RSV vaccine. The secondary objective is to determine which marketing methods influence certain demographics of patients.
Methods
This is a prospective multi-site survey study conducted at two chain grocery store-based pharmacies. The target population are patients presenting to the pharmacy to receive RSV vaccine. Participants will receive a survey while completing a vaccine consent form. The survey is anonymous, kept separate from the consent forms, and will not contain any patient identifiers. Eligible participants are aged 60 - 89 years of age, receiving RSV vaccine, and fluent in English. The survey will collect basic demographic information such as age, gender, education level, and comorbid conditions. It will also gather patient motivators to receive the RSV vaccine, such as how patients learned about the vaccine and what ultimately influenced them to come to the pharmacy to receive the vaccine. Descriptive statistics will be used to describe survey results. Depending on submitted responses and potential comparisons, Fisher’s exact or Chi squared test will be used to evaluate data for any associations.
Results
In total we screened forty-eight patients, and all consented to participate. Results demonstrated that the primary reason participants were motivated to receive RSV vaccine was due to primary care provider recommendation. Most participants were 65 years of age or older which aligns with the fact that older adults are at highest risk for severe RSV illness. However, more than half of participants indicated they did not have any comorbid conditions. Additionally, despite being some of the most accessible healthcare providers, in this study, pharmacists were not indicated as one of the primary motivators to receive RSV vaccine. There ultimately were no associations found between different marketing methods and certain demographics.
Conclusion(s)
Overall, participants selected on average two marketing methods as to how they heard about RSV vaccine. Even though primary care providers were the primary motivators to receive RSV vaccine, the results highlight that multiple methods can support a patient’s decision to receive a vaccine. Building relationships and partnering with local doctor’s offices could help increase access to vaccinations. Pharmacists can utilize their accessibility to educate and encourage vaccine uptake.
Self-Assessment Question
What was the primary factor that impacted patients’ decisions to receive RSV vaccine?
