Iwakawa Satoshi, Azechi Takuya, Saigo Orie, Imai Ryunosuke, Nakai Ayumi, Koshiba Shoji, Saito Uki, Asakura Kota, Sato Kuniyoshi, Kimura Toshimi
Department of Pharmacy, Juntendo University Hospital, 3-1-3 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
J Pharm Health Care Sci. 2024 Mar 4;10(1):15. doi: 10.1186/s40780-024-00338-w.
Cancer has been identified as a risk factor for severe illness and mortality in coronavirus disease (COVID-19), underscoring the importance of recommending COVID-19 vaccinations to patients with cancer. However, few reports have focused on the vaccination status and the incidence of adverse events among patients with cancer. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the vaccination status, incidence of adverse events, concerns, and anxiety related to COVID-19 vaccination among patients with cancer. In addition, we explored the utilization of information sources by these patients and the ease of use.
A survey was conducted among outpatients undergoing chemotherapy who received medication counseling from a pharmacist at Juntendo University Hospital. Responses were gathered from 60 out of the 143 participants. Of the respondents, 96.7% had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Common adverse events included pain at the injection site, fever, and fatigue, which were experienced by nearly half of the respondents. Approximately 80% expressed some concern regarding vaccination, with predominant concerns about timing in the context of ongoing cancer treatment and surgery. Among the respondents, 41.7% consulted primary care physicians regarding the vaccine, with only one mentioning consultation with hospital pharmacists. Notably, primary care physicians were considered the most approachable and useful healthcare professionals.
These results suggest that patients with cancer can safely receive the vaccine, comparable to patients without cancer. However, they still harbor concerns, even when seeking advice from primary care physicians. Few patients consulted pharmacists about vaccination, highlighting an opportunity for pharmacist intervention. Pharmacists fostering trust with patients with cancer is imperative to explore pharmacist intervention methods to promote the continued administration of COVID-19 vaccines and enhance the quality of life for them.
癌症已被确定为冠状病毒病（COVID-19）重症和死亡的风险因素，这凸显了向癌症患者推荐接种COVID-19疫苗的重要性。然而，很少有报告关注癌症患者的疫苗接种状况和不良事件发生率。在本研究中，我们旨在评估癌症患者的疫苗接种状况、不良事件发生率、对COVID-19疫苗接种的担忧和焦虑。此外，我们还探讨了这些患者对信息来源的利用情况以及使用的便利性。
对在顺天堂大学医院接受药剂师药物咨询的化疗门诊患者进行了一项调查。143名参与者中有60人做出了回应。在受访者中，96.7%的人已接种两剂COVID-19疫苗。
常见的不良事件包括注射部位疼痛、发热和疲劳，近一半的受访者有这些经历。约80%的人对疫苗接种表达了一些担忧，主要担忧是在正在进行的癌症治疗和手术背景下的接种时间。在受访者中，41.7%的人就疫苗问题咨询了初级保健医生，只有一人提到咨询过医院药剂师。值得注意的是，初级保健医生被认为是最容易接近且最有用的医疗保健专业人员。
这些结果表明，癌症患者与非癌症患者一样能够安全地接种疫苗。然而，即使向初级保健医生寻求建议，他们仍然心存担忧。很少有患者就疫苗接种问题咨询药剂师，这凸显了药剂师进行干预的机会。药剂师与癌症患者建立信任对于探索药剂师干预方法以促进COVID-19疫苗的持续接种并提高他们的生活质量至关重要。
