Knowledge of University Students in Health Care Settings on Vaccines and Vaccinations Strategies: Impact Evaluation of a Specific Educational Training Course during the COVID-19 Pandemic Period in Italy

Abstract

Background: Training future healthcare professionals on vaccination through specific courses is important to properly promote active immunization among the general population and to fight fake news and false beliefs on vaccinations. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of an elective course about vaccinations on the knowledge of medical students, pharmacy students, and medical resident in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine in Italy. Methods: The participants were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire before and after an elective teaching activity (ETA) on vaccination. The two questionnaires contained the same 30 questions and focused on different aspects of vaccines and vaccination. The students who had attended the seminar were allowed to fulfil the post-lecture questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential analysis were performed on the results; in particular, Student’s t-test for independent samples was used to compare the total score obtained before and after attending the ETA. Results: A total of 449 students participated in the ETA. Overall, the participation in the ETA allowed them to significantly improve their final score (+27.28%, p < 0.001). Good results were obtained even when comparing the three groups (medical students, pharmacy students and medical residents) separately. Females improved more than males, especially among pharmacy students. Discussion: The present study highlights the importance and the impact that extracurricular activities can have in improving knowledge about vaccinations. With vaccination and vaccine hesitancy and acceptance topics with increasing attention paid by the population, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is fundamental to develop new strategies to increase future healthcare professionals’ knowledge about vaccinations.

Attitudes and Perceptions of University Students in Healthcare Settings towards Vaccines and Vaccinations Strategies during the COVID-19 Pandemic Period in Italy

“…This is not surprising, considering that the study was conducted among students of healthcare settings that are trained in the field of vaccines and vaccinations: results reported by studies that were recently published in the literature are consistent with this finding [21]. However, it should also be highlighted that a non-negligible share of the participants (more than half for Pharmacy students) declared that they were not adequately trained and informed about vaccines and vaccinations during their academic course, despite reporting high scores on vaccine knowledge in general, in the pre-assessment test that was conducted before the elective activity [11]. Future healthcare providers need to have a good knowledge of vaccines (risks, recommendations) and also be confident when they have a conversation with their patients.…”

“…Third, their influence over their patients could affect vaccination uptake, as they usually act as advisors on those questions or misconceptions about vaccination that may be neglected and lead the patient to the choice of not getting vaccinated [10]. This is why the correct training of healthcare professionals and students on vaccines and vaccinations should not be neglected [11].…”

The Interplay of Perceived Risks and Benefits in Deciding to Become Vaccinated against COVID-19 While Pregnant or Breastfeeding: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy

“…Further, participants completed a previously used ad hoc scale, investigating the sense of conspiracy related to the COVID-19 context, indicating their degree of agreement (1 = Not at all; 7 = Very much) with seven items, such as "The C19 virus was created in a laboratory" and "Vaccines against C19 can alter people's DNA" [25]. Finally, participants were asked to answer an eight-item scale to assess the perception of vaccines in general, indicating their agreement (1 = Not at all; to 5 = Very much) on items such as "Vaccines are important to human health" and "Vaccines are produced and recommended only for the economic interest of pharmaceutical companies" [26].…”

Vaccine Mandates in the COVID-19 Era: Changing Paradigm or Public Health Opportunity?; Comment on "Convergence on Coercion: Functional and Political Pressures as Drivers of Global Childhood Vaccine Mandates"

“…14 This helps to build trust and broader limits of acceptable government controls in case of emergency; (ii) the need for conducting continuous monitoring and evaluation of compliance to mandates and quantitative assessment on their impacts so as to optimise immunisation policies implementation; (iii) the need for direct public health and political commitment towards countering misinformation, educating target populations and training healthcare workers in order to maintain acceptable coverage rates, even without mandates. 15 The abundant available scholarly literature on mandatory vaccination, which has accumulated before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, 3,8 clearly underlines the relevance of the topic but has not succeeded in disentangling its complexity related to ethical, juridical, public health and public policy considerations. As representatives of the public health community, we believe the COVID-19 mass vaccination experience should be capitalised on; it can teach us a lot on how to improve vaccination policies acting both on the demand and the supply side, and lessons learned can be adapted or scaled down to immunisation programmes other than COVID-19.…”

“… 14 This helps to build trust and broader limits of acceptable government controls in case of emergency; ( ii ) the need for conducting continuous monitoring and evaluation of compliance to mandates and quantitative assessment on their impacts so as to optimise immunisation policies implementation; ( iii ) the need for direct public health and political commitment towards countering misinformation, educating target populations and training healthcare workers in order to maintain acceptable coverage rates, even without mandates. 15 …”