Preferences and attitudes of healthcare providers towards pneumococcal vaccines for adults in the United States.

Abstract

It is important to assess healthcare providers (HCPs) knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and preferences towards new pneumococcal vaccines for adults. HCPs who met eligibility criteria completed an online survey between March - May 2024 that included a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to elicit preferences. Among 340 participating HCPs, the average age was 44.9 years old, and the majority were male (55.6%), and White (85.3%). Most HCPs reported that they would support (90.3%) and implement (91.5%) a lower age-based recommendation for pneumococcal vaccines (from adults 65+ years to adults 50+ years). A majority of HCPs would offer a supplemental dose of a pneumococcal vaccine to high-risk adults 19-49 years, at-risk or high-risk adults 50-64 years, and adults 65+ years regardless of risk status to increase protection after completing the recommended series. DCE results showed that coverage of pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in adults 65+ years were the two most important attributes in evaluating pneumococcal vaccines. HCPs preferred a pneumococcal vaccine with increased coverage against pneumococcal pneumonia and IPD, and they supported lowering the age recommendation for pneumococcal vaccination as well as a supplemental vaccine dose to provide additional coverage for adults.