2022 Incentive Grant Recipient: Sherenai Khan, PharmD
Project Proposal: Combating COVID-19: Evaluating the Impact of a Pharmacist-Led Immunization Service at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) on Immunization Rates of a Vulnerable/Underserved and Rural Patient Population
Sherenai Khan, PharmD currently serves as the PGY1 Community-based Pharmacy Resident at HOPE Family Health/Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy in Nashville, TN. She is a graduate of Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy.
"We are all in this together. I hope that my research will not only allow better access to essential immunization services for our patients, but also provide data-backed insights into the nature of vaccine hesitancy with a focus on working with our patients to find the best approach to encourage vaccine confidence."
Per the CDC, strong confidence in COVID-19 vaccines within communities leads to more people getting vaccinated, which leads to fewer illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. Unfortunately, the state of Tennessee currently has one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the nation at approximately 44.1% of the population being fully vaccinated. The goal of this project is to provide pharmacist-led immunization services at HOPE Family Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), with an evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy for a rural patient population.
"Receiving an incentive grant from the APhA Foundation will allow me to help provide essential immunization services to a population that has been historically vulnerable and underserved. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception, and I am excited to evaluate the nature of vaccine hesitancy within our patient population, to provide needed access to immunizations at the pharmacy, and to build vaccine confidence by providing effective education and accurate information."