Patients' acceptance of traditional and nontraditional immunization providers.
OBJECTIVE
To examine patients' acceptance and reported use of traditional and nontraditional immunization providers and settings.


METHODS
Survey.


METHODS
Stratified sample of private family physician clinics, family medicine residency training programs, community pharmacies that provide immunizations under standing order protocols, and nonimmunizing community pharmacies, all located in Iowa.


METHODS
Individuals presenting for medical care or pharmacy services.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Sources of past immunizations, 'access to immunizations, importance of immunization records, and future use of different health care providers and settings for immunizations. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the relationships between patient demographics and recruitment site on the question responses.


RESULTS
420 surveys were returned (67% response rate). Respondents frequently received immunizations at sites other than physician offices. Younger patients and those living in smaller towns were more likely to report receiving an immunization from a nonphysician. Patients recruited in immunizing pharmacies more often reported previous immunization by a pharmacist (P < .001), most often for influenza. Respondents often reported that it was more convenient to receive an immunization outside a physician office. Greater support was noted for receiving adult immunizations from nonphysicians and in nontraditional settings, whereas traditional settings and providers (physician offices, community health departments) were preferred for childhood immunizations.


CONCLUSIONS
Iowans report accessing different health care providers and settings for their routine immunizations. In general, they are more likely to support using traditional immunization providers and settings for childhood immunizations but are less exclusive about where they receive adult immunizations. Pharmacists should consider focusing initial efforts on administering adult immunizations, due to greater patient acceptance of nontraditional immunizers for adult immunizations.
Ernst
M E
ME
Division of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA. michael-ernst@uiowa.edu
Bergus
G R
GR
Sorofman
B A
BA
D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D014611:Vaccination