Exploring Perspectives on Adult Pneumococcal Vaccination: A Qualitative Preference Study of Health Care Providers (HCPs) and Health Care Consumers (HCCs) in the United Kingdom, Italy, and Greece
Author(s)
Amanda Martino, MPH1, Kimberly Kelly, PhD2, Ana Maria Rodriguez-Leboeuf, BSc, MSc, PhD3, Jason Ritchie, PhD2, Brennah Fallon, MPH2, Julia Price, MPH2, Martin Paczkowski, MPH2, Gem Roy, MD1, Salini Mohanty, DrPH1, Kelly Johnson, BSc, MPH, PhD1.
1Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, 2Patient Centered Solutions, IQVIA, New York, NY, USA, 3Patient Centered Solutions, IQVIA, Madrid, Spain.
1Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, 2Patient Centered Solutions, IQVIA, New York, NY, USA, 3Patient Centered Solutions, IQVIA, Madrid, Spain.
OBJECTIVES: Despite the availability of pneumococcal vaccines, pneumococcal disease (PD)continues to pose a significant clinical and economic burden in adults. PCV21 (CAPVAXIVE®), a newly approved adult-specific pneumococcal vaccine, targets this burden by including eight unique serotypes not included in existing vaccines. PCV21 is estimated to prevent approximately 87.5% and 76.5% of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) cases among those aged 65 and older in the UK and Italy, respectively. This study evaluates healthcare provider(HCP) and healthcare consumer (HCC) knowledge, attitudes, and preferences regarding pneumococcal vaccination.
METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with HCPs (physicians, nurses, and pharmacists) and HCCs (adults > 18 with or without underlying medical conditions) in the UK and Italy. Trained moderators followed a structured interview guide covering knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of PD and pneumococcal vaccines. HCPs ranked attributes of pneumococcal vaccines influencing their recommendations and practices. Interview transcripts were quality checked, coded, and analyzed thematically.
RESULTS: A total of 20 interviews were conducted, with six HCP and four HCC interviews in each country. HCCs exhibited limited knowledge of PD and pneumococcal vaccines but cited motivations for vaccination, including trust in medical authorities and concerns about high-risk status, defined as the presence of underlying chronic or immunocompromising conditions. HCPs demonstrated a strong understanding of PD risk factors but limited awareness of serotype and pneumococcal vaccine coverage. Most HCPs recommended vaccination for elderly and immunocompromised patients, identifying political influences andsafety concerns as primary reasons for overall vaccine hesitancy. Preferred vaccine attributes among HCPs included percent coverage of IPD and pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) in adults.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a critical gap in knowledge among healthcare consumersregarding pneumococcal disease and vaccination. Healthcare providers are overall knowledgeable about PD and prefer attributes which offer increased disease protection against IPD and PP, which may improve vaccination uptake among adults.
METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with HCPs (physicians, nurses, and pharmacists) and HCCs (adults > 18 with or without underlying medical conditions) in the UK and Italy. Trained moderators followed a structured interview guide covering knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of PD and pneumococcal vaccines. HCPs ranked attributes of pneumococcal vaccines influencing their recommendations and practices. Interview transcripts were quality checked, coded, and analyzed thematically.
RESULTS: A total of 20 interviews were conducted, with six HCP and four HCC interviews in each country. HCCs exhibited limited knowledge of PD and pneumococcal vaccines but cited motivations for vaccination, including trust in medical authorities and concerns about high-risk status, defined as the presence of underlying chronic or immunocompromising conditions. HCPs demonstrated a strong understanding of PD risk factors but limited awareness of serotype and pneumococcal vaccine coverage. Most HCPs recommended vaccination for elderly and immunocompromised patients, identifying political influences andsafety concerns as primary reasons for overall vaccine hesitancy. Preferred vaccine attributes among HCPs included percent coverage of IPD and pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) in adults.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a critical gap in knowledge among healthcare consumersregarding pneumococcal disease and vaccination. Healthcare providers are overall knowledgeable about PD and prefer attributes which offer increased disease protection against IPD and PP, which may improve vaccination uptake among adults.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
MSR105
Topic
Health Service Delivery & Process of Care, Methodological & Statistical Research, Patient-Centered Research
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Vaccines