Attitudes and barriers associated with seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among public health students; a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough research has explored influenza vaccination uptake among medical and college students, there is a dearth of research in understanding influenza vaccination uptake and attitudes toward the vaccine among future public health practitioners. Undergraduate public health students represent future public health practitioners who may be a significant educational resource for health information, including the importance of vaccinations.MethodsThis cross-sectional study utilized survey data from 158 undergraduate public health students attending a large public university in Southern California. The survey assessed public health students’ attitudes and beliefs towards the seasonal influenza vaccine and seasonal vaccination rates among this population.ResultsOver 88% of respondents reported having been encouraged to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine, while only 43.0% reported receipt. Of the students who reported not receiving the vaccine, 49.4% believed it may give them the flu, 30.4% believed there may be dangerous side effects, and 28.9% believed they were not at risk for contracting the flu. Access to health care practitioners (OR: 3.947, 95% CI [1.308–11.906]) and social encouragement (OR: 3.139, 95% CI [1.447–6.811]) were significantly associated with receipt of the seasonal influenza vaccine.ConclusionAs public health program curriculum includes information about seasonal influenza vaccination and 68% of the sample were seniors soon to be exiting the program with an undergraduate degree in public health education, this low seasonal influenza vaccination rate is disturbing. This study may add to the body of data demonstrating how knowledge of the vaccine does not always guarantee vaccine uptake. Results of the current study suggest that it may be beneficial to provide additional information targeted to public health students, aimed at mediating safety concerns and increasing social pressure to assist in improving vaccine acceptance and rates in this population. Maximizing seasonal influenza vaccination uptake by addressing attitudes, barriers and misperceptions may not only improve vaccination rates among public health students, but also in communities served by these future public health practitioners.

Exploring Influenza Vaccine Uptake and Its Determinants among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Making the vaccination compulsory increases vaccination coverage among healthcare students [39,41]. These determinants of vaccination i.e., freshman and medical student, are not translatable to all related studies, but our findings were similar to those in previous studies [35,41,[47][48][49].…”

“…It is also true that freshmen in medicine and healthcare faculties have very little chance to interact with patients, not motivating them for vaccination. The estimated coverage among students in medicine and healthcare faculties was lower but comparable to that in Australia (53.8%) [41] and similar to the rate in Southern California (43.0%) [35]. Making the vaccination compulsory increases vaccination coverage among healthcare students [39,41].…”

College Students’ Perceptions of Influenza Vaccination and Childhood Immunizations

“…However, not all students with health-related majors view influenza vaccination positively. Rogers et al (2018) found that 49.4% of undergraduate public health students who did not receive the flu vaccination believed that administration could cause the flu, and 30.4% were concerned about adverse side effects.…”

“…These results were not exactly congruent with the literature review (see Figure 1). Rogers et al (2018) found that a significant number of students were concerned about the side effects of influenza vaccines. However, concern for the possible side effects of influenza vaccination was not a top theme in this study.…”

“…The CDC recommends that children get vaccinated and presents an immunization schedule to facilitate this (CDC, 2018). Espeleta et al (2017) and Rogers et al (2018) conducted studies to determine what factors prevent people from getting immunized. Albright and Allen (2018) studied how college students view the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, but few have researched how college students view other types of immunization.…”