Approximately one in three people may contract the chickenpox virus by age 80. Despite Japan's approval of the live VZV vaccine in 2016, its uptake remains limited.
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Association Between Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccination and Patient Experience in Elderly Japanese Outpatients
Go to source). Multiple studies that focused on identifying the factors that promote the uptake of pneumococcal and influenza vaccines have revealed that vaccination rates are high among patients who receive better services from their primary care provider, a clinical physician from whom patients initially seek comprehensive medical services.
‘Aging is a major contributing factor to an increased risk of herpes zoster, a skin ailment caused by the same virus linked to chickenpox. As Japan's population continues to age, the incidence of herpes zoster infections is on the rise. #chickenpox #internationaldayofolderpersons’
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However, the factors promoting vaccination uptake or their relationship with the quality of primary care have not yet been investigated.
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Evaluating Patient Experience and Herpes Zoster Vaccination in Elderly Patients
In this study, researchers led by the University of Tsukuba examined the association between patient experience (PX, events experienced by patients during primary care), an indicator of the quality of primary care, and herpes zoster vaccination (live attenuated varicella vaccine) in elderly patients aged ≥65 years who regularly received primary care. They examined the association between PX and vaccination with the herpes zoster vaccine (live attenuated varicella vaccine).This study alone cannot directly prove a cause-and-effect relationship. However, the study findings suggest that physicians recommending VZV vaccination after providing adequate services needed by patients during primary care may improve shingles vaccine coverage.
Reference:
- Association Between Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccination and Patient Experience in Elderly Japanese Outpatients - (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21501319231192760)
Source-Eurekalert