Pharmacists' Perceptions of Mental Well-Being and Immunization Safety During COVID-19

• Published in: Journal of pharmacy practice Vol. 37; no. 3; p. 563
• Main Authors: Peel, Emily, Orji, Chinelo C, Ogan, Shelbie, Gould, Julie, Leckbee, Gretta, Brown, Carolyn M, Pope, Nathan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.06.2024
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Female; Humans; Immunization - psychology; Male; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Pharmacists - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vaccination - psychology; COVID-19; pharmacists; immunization; mental health; vaccination
• ISSN: 1531-1937
• DOI: 10.1177/08971900221149145

To assess pharmacists' mental well-being, perceptions of safety, and willingness to administer vaccines before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. An electronic survey was administered to a convenient sample of practicing pharmacists working in Alabama, Tennessee and Texas. The 33-item survey examined pharmacists' beliefs about the pandemic's impact on their mental well-being, their perceptions of safety in vaccine administration, and their willingness to vaccinate. Responses were assessed on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). A recruitment email with the survey link was sent to pharmacists, with periodic reminders over a 4-week period. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were utilized to evaluate survey responses. A total of 387 responses were analyzed, with an estimated response rate of 3.93%. Most respondents were women (65%) and had at least 6 to 10 years of practice experience (28%). Overall, participants felt that the pandemic worsened their mental well-being, with women reporting a more negative mental well-being compared with men ( < .001). They reported having less time during workflow to apply personal protective equipment (PPE) ( = .0074) compared to before the pandemic. They also reported a decrease in willingness to vaccinate adult patients during the pandemic ( < .0001), and that concern about contracting COVID-19 prevented them from giving vaccinations ( < .0001). Pharmacists felt their mental well-being and willingness to vaccinate patients suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research and initiatives that focus on improving vaccination rates should also consider pharmacists' concerns and well-being.