JOURNAL OF ASIAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF PHARMACY - Volume 12, January - December 2023

Pages: 47-63

Date of Publication: 14-Dec-2023

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A cross-sectional survey on the willingness of community pharmacists and community pharmacy owners to provide pharmacy-based immunization services in the city of Manila

Author: Kathrina Michaela M. Asilo, Phillippe Luis C. Andres, Mark Francis G. Bondoc, Imelda G. Peña*

Category: Pharmacy

Abstract:

Pharmacy-based immunization services (PBIS) may address vaccine hesitancy, however, only a few pharmacies and pharmacists provide such services despite it being permitted in the Philippine Pharmacy Act. This study aimed to evaluate the willingness of community pharmacists and pharmacy owners in providing PBIS in Manila, prior to the onset of an immunization training and certification program in the country. A cross-sectional selfadministered questionnaire was used to collect data from March to May 2019. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and logistic regression were used in data analysis. From 110 pharmacies, 79 pharmacists and 48 owners participated. Data revealed that pharmacists (72.2%) have average knowledge on basic principles of PBIS. Respondents have a positive attitude (89.9% pharmacists; 87.5% owners), favorable subjective norms (70.9% pharmacists; 68.8% owners), positive perceived behavioral control (68.4% pharmacists; 81.3% owners), and are willing to provide PBIS (76.5% pharmacists; 79.2% owners). Perception of other stakeholders on PBIS was the only variable significantly related to pharmacist willingness. This study can be used for competency assessment as well as PBIS improvement.

Keywords: pharmacy-based immunization services, willingness, community pharmacists