PIN84 KNOWLEDGE, BELIEFS, AND ACTIVATION REGARDING VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES: RESULTS FROM THE VACCINE EDUCATION THROUGH PHARMACISTS AND SENIOR CENTERS (VEPSC) STUDY

Abstract

The Vaccine Education through Pharmacists and Senior Centers (VEPSC) study sought to compare the effect of pharmacist-led didactic training (PHARM) to peer-to-peer small group education (PEER) for improving knowledge, beliefs, and activation regarding 3 common vaccine-preventable diseases (pneumonia, zoster, influenza). This analysis reports changes in knowledge, beliefs, and activation at three timepoints – baseline (BL), immediate post-program (PT) and 1-month post-program (M1), along with program costs. VEPSC was conducted through Delaware Valley senior centers from October 2017-September 2018. Participant knowledge, beliefs, and activation were assessed at BL, PT, and M1. At each timepoint knowledge was assessed via a 22-item instrument; between-group changes in knowledge were compared via Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests. Between-group differences in beliefs and activation were calculated using Fisher’s Exact or Chi-Square tests. Per-participant program delivery costs were calculated for each arm and included monetary value of staff and peer leader time, mileage, and supplies. 287 participants were included (140 PEER; 147 PHARM). Most were female (n=231, 80.5%) and black (n=183, 63.8%). From BL to PT and BL to M1, total knowledge scores increased within both PEER and PHARM (p<0.0001). Mean knowledge improvement was greater for PEER (4.9 vs. 3.5 for BL to PT, p=0.0081; 4.3 vs. 3.4 for BL to M1; p=0.1094). Within-group beliefs in vaccination importance improved significantly from BL to PT (PEER p<0.0001, PHARM p=0.0011) and from BL to M1 (PEER p<0.0001, PHARM p=0.0028). While activation scores were higher among PHARM for zoster (BL p=0.0163, PT p=0.0028, M1 p=0.433), at M1 significantly more PEER participants had received influenza (p=0.0141) and pneumonia (p=0.0457) vaccines. Total cost of PEER was $14,887.45 ($106.34/participant) vs. $7,392.94 ($50.29/participant) for PHARM. Results indicate that community-based peer interventions are powerful tools to improve vaccine knowledge. Though PEER was more costly, it yielded greater gains in knowledge and activation vs. PHARM.