Pharmacy and healthcare provider offices as convenient adult vaccination settings in the US: Patient experiences from a survey of recently-vaccinated adults

Abstract

Background

Adult vaccination rates in the United States (US) remain low, despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines. The objective of this study was to describe characteristics of US adults recently vaccinated in a pharmacy or healthcare provider (HCP) office, vaccination logistics, associated productivity losses, and preferences, barriers, and satisfaction related to vaccination visits in these settings.

Methods

This was a non-interventional, cross-sectional study using a web-based survey administered during September–November 2023. Respondents were adults recently vaccinated in a pharmacy or HCP office in the US recruited from an online panel. The study targeted a sample of 900 adults, divided approximately equally among those aged 18–49, 50–64, and ≥65 years. Responses were analyzed descriptively and reported overall, by vaccination location, and by age group.

Results

A total of 938 adults completed the survey, including 618 pharmacy-vaccinated and 320 HCP office-vaccinated respondents. Influenza (74.2%) and COVID-19 (44.6%) vaccines were most commonly administered, and coadministration of 2–3 vaccines occurred in 35.7% of vaccination visits. Vaccination visits often involved other activities (e.g., 40.5% of pharmacy-vaccinated respondents also picked up a prescription and/or shopped during their vaccination visit). Productivity losses due to vaccination visits were minimal; only 8.1% of all respondents took paid or unpaid time off work to get vaccinated (mean [standard deviation; SD]: 15.6 [69.9] minutes). Most respondents encountered no barriers to vaccination (76.1%) and reported high satisfaction (mean [SD]: 9.3 [1.4] on a 1–10 scale) with their visit.

Conclusions

Findings indicate that pharmacies and HCP offices are convenient locations for adult vaccinations in the US, including coadministration of multiple vaccines in the same visit. Adult vaccinations in these locations were associated with low productivity losses, limited difficulties, and high satisfaction. Enhancing access to vaccinations in these settings could help to increase vaccination uptake.