Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccination Among Patients With Diabetes, Asthma, and Cigarette Use

Streptococcus pneumoniae infection results in a variety of illnesses including ear and sinus infections, meningitis, and pneumonia. The Pneumovax 23 Vaccine (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine or PPSV23) helps protect against 23 strains of S. pneumoniae, and is indicated in adults 65 years old and older, children 2 years old and older at high risk for infection, and in those 19 to 64 years old who smoke or have asthma. Health care providers assess the risk of pneumococcal disease in each patient and administer the vaccination if indicated. The main reason patients remained unvaccinated was because vaccination was not addressed during the clinic visit. This was followed by the misclassification of high risk patients as low risk for infection and documented refusal, respectively. Patients with diabetes were more likely to be vaccinated than patients with asthma and patients who smoked tobacco. Pharmacists were the providers most likely to vaccinate patients. Pharmacists often help other providers manage patients with chronic disorders such as diabetes, asthma, and tobacco use, which may be why they vaccinate more high risk patients. These results show that pharmacists can play a larger role in identifying patients with medical indications to reduce missed vaccination opportunities.