The role of pharmacist education as a catalyst: Examining COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in senior Lebanese citizens

Authors

  • Sarah El khatib Aging Research Team, Centre for Epidemiology and Research in Population health (CERPOP), Université de Toulouse, Inserm, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, Toulouse, France; Lebanese University, Faculty of Public Health, Tripoli, Lebanon; & INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon
  • Carmela Bou Malham Aging Research Team, Centre for Epidemiology and Research in Population health (CERPOP), Université de Toulouse, Inserm, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, Toulouse, France; & INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9743-4125
  • Fatima Moughnieh Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
  • Chadia Haddad INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon & Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
  • Souheil Hallit School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon & Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
  • Marwan Akel Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon & INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon
  • Pascale Salameh INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; & University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
  • Zeinab Shouman Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
  • Katia Iskandar Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon; INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon; & Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2023.231.741754

Keywords:

Aged, COVID-19 vaccines, Vaccine acceptance, Vaccination hesitancy

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to underscore the potential of pharmacist education in bridging the gap between COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance, focusing on senior Lebanese citizens.

Methods: The study is an online cross-sectional observational survey using the snowball technique. It was conducted in Lebanon during the lockdown over a period of five months from December 2020 to April 2021. Two hundred Lebanese adults aged 65 years and older with internet access were enrolled.

Results: In total, 229 seniors completed the questionnaire, among which 18.8% took the COVID-19 vaccine. Results showed a significant association between vaccine-intake individuals with a higher number of comorbidities (ORa=1.15, 95% CI (1.09;1.22)). Acceptance of the vaccine (ORa=1.12, 95% CI (1.04; 1.20)) had a more significant influence than vaccine hesitancy (ORa=0.81, 95% CI (0.73; 0.90)). Key factors affecting higher vaccine acceptance were a recent history of falls (Beta=2.545, CI (0.823;4.268)), and seeking advice from a pharmacist (Beta=3.992, CI (0.877;7.106)) while being a healthcare professional was associated with lower acceptance (Beta=-2.398, CI (-4.492; -0.305)).

Conclusion: This study accentuates the vital role of pharmacists' educational influence in promoting vaccine acceptance among seniors, emphasising the need to empower the elderly in their health choices for effective disease prevention.

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Published

08-12-2023

How to Cite

El khatib, S., Bou Malham, C., Moughnieh, F., Haddad, C., Hallit, S., Akel, M., Salameh, P., Shouman, Z., & Iskandar, K. (2023). The role of pharmacist education as a catalyst: Examining COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in senior Lebanese citizens. Pharmacy Education, 23(1), p. 741–754. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2023.231.741754

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 1 (2023)

Section

Research Article

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