Factors impacting COVID-19 vaccination intention among medical students

ABSTRACT

Medical students represent a significant part of the health-care community and are active members of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response. This study aimed to evaluate various factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine intention among medical students via an online anonymous survey. A total of 370 students completed the online survey, with 229 (61.89%) not vaccinated for COVID-19. Of students not yet vaccinated, 45 (19.65%) were unsure or did not intend to accept the vaccine, while 184 (80.35%) intend to be vaccinated within 6 months. Overall, female gender, health status, clinical science enrollment, and the practice of COVID-19 preventative behaviors significantly correlated with the intention to be vaccinated within 6 months. Greater perceived risk for contracting COVID-19, lesser beliefs that the COVID-19 vaccination trials were rushed, and greater beliefs that being vaccinated would help complete their medical education were uniquely associated with the intention to be vaccinated within 6 months. Collectively, this study identified several factors that influenced medical students' intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. This information may be used in future immunization strategies to increase the vaccination rates among this group of future medical professionals.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19 vaccines
• vaccines
• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2
• students
• medical

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the basic and clinical science Deans, Dean Scott Rinker, Dean Andy Ginty, and Dean Kimberly Kirkland, and administration of the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine for aiding in dissemination of the survey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

DG, AP and DVR contributed to study conceptualization and design, data acquisition, data analysis, and drafting the manuscript. KP, IR, GN, RZ, AZ, JJ, RH, GS and RC contributed to survey development and drafting the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Institutional review board statement

Ethical approval was granted by the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine Institutional Review Board (IRB) before the survey was administered (IRB approval: IRB study #: 2021-2).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website at https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2022.2025733.

Additional information

Funding

The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine Online Research Club provided financial support for participant compensation. The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine SARC provided financial support for publication fees.