title: Pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding influenza vaccination and treatment of pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding vaccination and treatment of pregnant women for seasonal influenza and pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1).
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, exploratory, nonexperimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  United States between January 21, 2010, and February 9, 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  606 pharmacists who participated in the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Immunization Certificate Training Program and practice in chain, supermarket, mass merchandise, and independent pharmacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic survey sent by APhA to 7,356 pharmacists who had participated in its Immunization Certificate Training Program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding vaccination and antiviral treatment of pregnant women for seasonal and H1N1 influenza.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents were more likely to recognize that pregnant women are at an increased risk associated with H1N1 influenza (85%) than to recognize the increased risk associated with seasonal influenza (78%). However, respondents were less likely to believe that they have an important role in vaccinating pregnant women compared with the general public (82% vs. 97%) and less likely to agree that 2009 H1N1 vaccine was safe during pregnancy compared with the seasonal influenza vaccine (78% vs. 87%). Pharmacists who had been vaccinated themselves were more likely to recommend vaccination for pregnant patients. Only 38% believed that antiviral medications such as oseltamivir can be given during pregnancy because the benefits outweigh the risks. However, in response to case studies of pregnant women who were candidates for antiviral medications, respondents indicated that they would take extraordinary steps to ensure that pregnant women were either referred for medical assessment or for assistance in obtaining prescribed antiviral medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Education efforts that focus on the effectiveness and safety of influenza vaccination during pregnancy and the benefits of treating pregnant women with confirmed or suspected influenza with antiviral medications may be useful in improving pharmacists' support of pharmaceutical interventions to reduce the impact of influenza in pregnant women. Pharmacists' personal decisions regarding vaccination may be a marker for their overall assessment of risks and benefits and may influence their recommendations for pregnant patients.
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA. siobhanmdolan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Siobhan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.forename: Shanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tepper
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ruddy
authors.forename: Sonja A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Kitty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: MacFarlane
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D004513:Education, Pharmacy, Continuing; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D012306:Risk; D012957:Societies, Pharmaceutical; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines