Applicability of Immunization Services in Pharmacies in Turkey: Evaluation Through SWOT Analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate what has to be done for increasing influenza vaccination through pharmacies in Turkey. Influenza is a common cause of hospitalizations and even the risk of related deaths. Although vaccines are considered to be one of the most cost-effective way of preventing illness and deaths from infection diseases, influenza vaccination rates remain far below goals in Turkey. Allowing pharmacists to administer influenza vaccination may help to increase the rate of influenza vaccination and also to tackle vaccine hesitancy. For this purpose, a SWOT analysis is conducted in this study. SWOT analysis results reveal that the authorities can implement WO (weakness-opportunities) strategies. Results also indicate that vaccination in pharmacies has more opportunities (for example increasing vaccination coverage for adults, decreasing incidence of influenza and hospitalization, cost-saving) and weaknesses (for example; pharmacists’ insufficient education level on vaccination, increased workload, managing adverse events). Within this scope, it emerges that there is a need for a comprehensive legislative amendment in health policy in Turkey and a training to ensure the professional competence of pharmacists who will administer vaccines.

Keywords

• Vaccination
• SWOT
• Immunization
• pharmacy
• influenza

Türkiye’de Eczanede Bağışıklama Hizmetinin Uygulanabilirliği: SWOT Analizi ile Değerlendirme

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı, influenza aşılamasının eczaneler üzerinden yürütülerek arttırılması için neler yapılması gerektiğinin araştırılmasıdır. Influenza, hastaneye yatışların ve hatta buna bağlı ölüm riskinin yaygın bir nedenidir. Aşıların; hastalıkları ve enfeksiyon hastalıklarına bağlı ölümleri önlemenin en maliyet etkili yollarından biri olduğu düşünülse de, Türkiye’deki influenza aşılama oranları hedeflerin çok altında kalmaktadır. Eczacıların influenza aşısı yapmasına izin vermek, influenza aşılama oranını artırmaya ve ayrıca aşı tereddütünün üstesinden gelmeye yardımcı olabilir. Bu amaçla, bu çalışmada bir SWOT analizi yapılmıştır. SWOT analizi sonuçları, yetkililerin WO (zayıflık-fırsatlar) stratejilerini uygulayabileceklerini ortaya koymaktadır. Bununla birlikte; analiz sonuçları, eczanelerde aşılamanın daha fazla fırsata (örn.; yetişkinler için aşı kapsamının arttırılması, influenza vakalarının ve hastaneye yatışların azaltılması, maliyet tasarrufu) ve zayıflıklara (örn.; eczacıların aşılama konusunda yetersiz eğitim seviyesine sahip olması, artan iş yükü, advers vakaların yönetimi) sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu çerçevede; Türkiye’de sağlık politikasında kapsamlı bir mevzuat değişikliğine ve aşı uygulayacak eczacıların bu konudaki mesleki yeterliklerini sağlayacak eğitimlere ihtiyaç olduğu ortaya çıkmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Bağışıklama
• Aşılama
• SWOT
• influenza
• Eczane

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