Assessing and Improving Zoster Vaccine Uptake in a Homeless Population

AbstractThe herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine is recommended for all adults aged ≥ 60 years without contraindications to prevent shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia. There are no published studies on zoster vaccination rates, barriers, or workflows in adults who have experienced homelessness. Due to barriers specific to this vaccine, including difficulty determining insura nce coverage, high upfront costs, need for storage in a freezer, and under-prescription by physicians, uptake is lower compared to other recommended vaccines for older adults. To address these barriers, we developed a new approach of partnering our on-site primary care clinic in a transitional homel ess shelter with a local pharmacy and offering vaccination on Shingles Immunization Days with a goal of matching or exceeding the national zoster immunization rate of 30.6%. Over a 3-year period, the live attenuated zoster vaccine was offered to 86% of eligible patients resulting in an immunization rate of 38.1%. This is higher than the estimated national rate but significantly lower than rates of tetanus (80.6%), pneumococcal (76.3%), and influenza (69.6%) vaccination in the same population, highlighting the unique obstacles to zoster immunization. Major reasons that patients were not immuniz ed included lack of insurance coverage and patient refusal of all vaccines. Our findings demonstrate that homeless adults are interested in zoster vaccination and a model of on-site primary care in a shelter partnerin...
Source: Journal of Community Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research