The role of pharmacist education as a catalyst: Examining COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in senior Lebanese citizens

Objective: This study aims to underscore the potential of pharmacist education in bridging the gap between COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance, focusing on senior Lebanese citizens. Methods: The study is an online cross-sectional observational survey using the snowball technique. It was conducted in Lebanon during the lockdown over a period of five months from December 2020 to April 2021.  Two hundred Lebanese adults aged 65 years and older with internet access were enrolled. Results: In total, 229 seniors completed the questionnaire, among which 18.8% took the COVID-19 vaccine. Results showed a significant association between vaccine-intake individuals with a higher number of comorbidities (ORa=1.15, 95% CI (1.09;1.22)). Acceptance of the vaccine (ORa=1.12, 95% CI (1.04; 1.20)) had a more significant influence than vaccine hesitancy (ORa=0.81, 95% CI (0.73; 0.90)).  Key factors affecting higher vaccine acceptance were a recent history of falls (Beta=2.545, CI (0.823;4.268)), and seeking advice from a pharmacist (Beta=3.992, CI (0.877;7.106)) while being a healthcare professional was associated with lower acceptance (Beta=-2.398, CI (-4.492; -0.305)). Conclusion: This study accentuates the vital role of pharmacists' educational influence in promoting vaccine acceptance among seniors, emphasising the need to empower the elderly in their health choices for effective disease prevention.