Effect of vaccination by community pharmacists among adult prescription recipients

BACKGROUND. Millions of doses of influenza vaccine are administered each ye ar in the United States at nontraditional sites and by nontraditional vacci ne providers. Pharmacists are increasingly becoming vaccine providers. OBJECTIVES. To measure association between availability of pharmacist-immun izer and immunization delivery to adult prescription recipients, and the re lative contributions of various types of vaccine providers. RESEARCH DESIGN. Mailed survey in spring 1999, contrasting adults in urban Washington State, where pharmacists administer vaccines, to adults in urban Oregon, where pharmacists did not. SUBJECTS. Cluster sample based on October 1998 prescription records suggest ing need for influenza vaccine, derived from 24 community pharmacies belong ing to one pharmacy chain. MEASURES. Vaccination status and choice of vaccine provider. RESULTS. Influenza vaccination rates among respondents 65 years or older in creased 4.7% more in Washington than in Oregon between 1997 and 1998 (P = 0 .20). The net increase in influenza vaccination rate among younger responde nts taking indicator medications for chronic diseases for which influenza v accination is recommended was 10.6% (P = 0.05). Among respondents unvaccina ted against influenza in 1997, the 1998 influenza vaccination rate was 34.7 % in Washington, compared with 23.9% in Oregon (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS. Vaccine delivery by pharmacists is associated with higher rate s of vaccination among those younger than 65 taking indicator medications m edications for chronic diseases, as well as prescription recipients unvacci nated against influenza in the previous year.