Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Pharmacies can increase access to vaccines. This study aimed to describe US trends in the proportion of adolescent and adult vaccinations administered in pharmacies from 2018 to 2024. Research design and methods Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of medical and pharmacy claims from commercial health insurance enrollees. We recorded vaccinations received by enrollees ≥9 years of age from 2018 to 2023 (routine vaccines) or 2024 (seasonal vaccines). We calculated the annual proportion of vaccinations occurring in pharmacies, and the accumulated percent change in vaccination rate during each year from 2020 onward compared to 2018–2019. Results The proportion of routine vaccinations occurring in pharmacies was higher among adults than among adolescents. For most routine vaccines, this proportion increased during the study period. The lowest proportion was observed for adolescent human papillomavirus vaccination in 2018 (0.2%), and the highest for herpes zoster vaccination among adults ≥65 years of age in 2023 (88.6%). For all age groups, pharmacy-based vaccination was more common for seasonal influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines than for all routine vaccines except herpes zoster. Conclusions Pharmacy-based vaccination is increasingly common in the US, particularly among adults and for seasonal vaccines, and can help increase the overall level of vaccine uptake.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.