Impact of Pharmacist-led Educational Intervention on Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates in Cancer Patients

Overview

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), immunization; is defined as making a person immune or resistant to an infectious disease by applying a vaccine (1). The primary indicator of an effective immunization is that adequate vaccination rates have been achieved. The risk of cancer and chronic diseases increases with advancing age, which increases the importance of immunization in adults. Cancer patients, one of the patient groups for whom adult immunization is a priority and crucial, are subjected to immunosuppressive medications, making them vulnerable to infections. In cancer patients, infections are severe, antimicrobial treatments are sometimes insufficient, leading to morbidity and mortality. One of these infections is pneumococcal disease caused by Streptococcus pneumonia, with high morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. Invasive pneumococcal disease is seen 23-48 times more frequently in cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. In many countries worldwide, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and the 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine, both developed to prevent pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumonia, are successfully used in childhood vaccination programs within the framework of WHO's immunization policies. However, in Turkey, like in the rest of the world, the required adult immunization rates have not been achieved yet. Immunization rates among cancer patients, one of the patient groups for whom adult vaccination is required, remain below the targeted levels. Pharmacists, one of the health professionals, have significant contributions to increasing vaccination rates in adults. According to studies, pharmacists can help raise immunization rates by providing education and information. In Turkey, no study has been conducted to assess the impact of vaccination education on cancer patients' attitudes and actions about the pneumococcal vaccine. This study aimed to determine the impact of pharmacist-led pneumonia and pneumococcal vaccine education on cancer patients' vaccination attitudes, knowledge, and vaccination rates.