The Effect of a Prescription Order Requirement for Pharmacist-Administered Vaccination on Herpes Zoster Vaccination Rates

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2019

Abstract

Objective

To determine the effect of a prescription order requirement for pharmacist-administered zoster vaccination on zoster vaccination in adults aged 60+.

Methods

A 50-state law review of statutes and regulations regarding pharmacists’ ability to administer the zoster vaccine with/without a prescription order was performed. States were classified as prescription order required or not required as of January 1, 2014. Data on adults aged 60+ were obtained from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Chi-square tests and multilevel logistic regression models with and without propensity scores methods were used.

Results

Of the 50 states, 39 and the District of Columbia did not require a prescription order. After propensity score matching, zoster vaccination rates for adults ages 60 and older were significantly higher in states that did not require a prescription order (23.0% vs 21.1%, p = 0.0022). The propensity score-matched multilevel logistic regression model for adults aged 60+ found modestly higher odds of HZ vaccination for states that removed the prescription order requirement (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01–1.35). Similar estimates were found across other methodologies employed and age strata, although statistical significance varied.

Conclusions

Prescription order requirements are associated with HZ vaccination rates. By removing a prescription order requirement, states may be able to promote increases in HZ vaccination in adults aged 60+.

DOI

10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.12.003

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