Factors Influencing Older People's Intentions to Vaccinate

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Gerontology
• Pharmacy Practice

Background:

• Vaccination is vital for disease prevention and reducing mortality.
• Limited data exists on pharmacist accessibility beyond traditional settings and its effect on elderly vaccination intentions.
• Understanding patient perceptions is key to improving vaccine uptake in older populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate older adults' perceptions of pharmacist accessibility for vaccinations.
• To assess the impact of pharmacist accessibility on vaccination intention among the elderly.
• To identify preferred vaccination locations and barriers to vaccine access for older individuals.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative research utilizing anonymous electronic surveys administered to community-dwelling older adults.
• Surveys collected from participants at various vaccine clinics, including 10 questions on past vaccination reasons, likelihood of vaccination at community events, and access importance.
• Data analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with a 5-point Likert scale for specific items.

Main Results:

• 178 older adults (average age 75) participated; 70.8% were female.
• Community centers (44.9%) were the preferred vaccination location, followed by doctor's offices (17.4%).
• Transportation barriers were acknowledged, and older age correlated with increased belief that vaccines are ineffective (P=0.011).

Conclusions:

• Pharmacists should increase community outreach in accessible locations like community centers to boost elderly vaccination rates.
• Addressing transportation barriers and vaccine skepticism is crucial for improving public health outcomes in older adults.
• Tailoring vaccination strategies to preferred locations and addressing specific demographic preferences (e.g., gender differences in location preference) can enhance vaccine accessibility.