BRIDGING THE IMMUNIZATION GAP: IMPACT OF A COMPETENCY-BASED TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS IN INDIA
Author(s)
Gangayya J. Wakkundmath, PharmD1, MADIWALAYYA SHIVAKANTAYYA GANACHARI, M. Pharm PhD2.
1Department of Pharmacy Practice, KLE College of Pharmacy Belagavi, Belagavi, India, 2KLE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY,, BELAGAVI, India.
1Department of Pharmacy Practice, KLE College of Pharmacy Belagavi, Belagavi, India, 2KLE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY,, BELAGAVI, India.
OBJECTIVES: Community pharmacists can improve vaccine accessibility and immunization advocacy; however, competency-based immunization training for pharmacists remains limited in India. This study aimed to develop, validate, and evaluate an immunization advocacy training programme to improve community pharmacists’ readiness for pharmacist-led vaccination services.
METHODS: A prospective interventional study was conducted among community pharmacists in Belagavi, India (n=115). A Knowledge-Attitude-Willingness to Practice (KAwP) questionnaire and structured immunization training modules were developed using evidence-based immunization frameworks and contextualized to Indian pharmacy practice. Questionnaire content validation was performed by 11 experts, demonstrating strong content validity (S-CVI/Ave=0.903). Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. The intervention comprised one-week online theoretical training followed by two-day practical hands-on training and Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE)-based competency assessment. Pre-post KAwP outcomes were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
RESULTS: The KAwP questionnaire demonstrated good-to-excellent reliability (knowledge α=0.817, attitude α=0.947, willingness α=0.974). Significant post-intervention improvements were observed across all domains. Mean knowledge scores improved from 8.28±2.78 to 10.37±1.59 (p<0.001), attitude scores from 46.09±8.42 to 50.65±5.34 (p<0.001), and willingness-to-practice scores from 61.03±13.27 to 69.07±7.71 (p<0.001). Practical competency assessment demonstrated high performance, with a mean OSPE score of 22.06±3.43 out of 25.
CONCLUSIONS: A structured immunization advocacy training programme significantly improved community pharmacists’ readiness and practical competency for pharmacist-led vaccination services. Competency-based pharmacist immunization training may strengthen vaccine access and support expansion of pharmacist-led immunization services in India and comparable resource-constrained settings
METHODS: A prospective interventional study was conducted among community pharmacists in Belagavi, India (n=115). A Knowledge-Attitude-Willingness to Practice (KAwP) questionnaire and structured immunization training modules were developed using evidence-based immunization frameworks and contextualized to Indian pharmacy practice. Questionnaire content validation was performed by 11 experts, demonstrating strong content validity (S-CVI/Ave=0.903). Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. The intervention comprised one-week online theoretical training followed by two-day practical hands-on training and Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE)-based competency assessment. Pre-post KAwP outcomes were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
RESULTS: The KAwP questionnaire demonstrated good-to-excellent reliability (knowledge α=0.817, attitude α=0.947, willingness α=0.974). Significant post-intervention improvements were observed across all domains. Mean knowledge scores improved from 8.28±2.78 to 10.37±1.59 (p<0.001), attitude scores from 46.09±8.42 to 50.65±5.34 (p<0.001), and willingness-to-practice scores from 61.03±13.27 to 69.07±7.71 (p<0.001). Practical competency assessment demonstrated high performance, with a mean OSPE score of 22.06±3.43 out of 25.
CONCLUSIONS: A structured immunization advocacy training programme significantly improved community pharmacists’ readiness and practical competency for pharmacist-led vaccination services. Competency-based pharmacist immunization training may strengthen vaccine access and support expansion of pharmacist-led immunization services in India and comparable resource-constrained settings
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-09, ISPOR Asia Pacific 2026, Bangkok, Thailand
Value in Health, Volume 55, Issue S1
Code
HSD21
Topic
Health Service Delivery & Process of Care
Disease
STA: Vaccines