Exploring strategies to increase college students’ motivation to receive their annual influenza vaccine

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate college students’ awareness of an educational initiative to increase campus influenza vaccination rates and strategies to improve it.

Participants

Students attending a large public comprehensive university.

Methods

An investigator-developed, online survey evaluated awareness of the initiative, the students’ perception of incentives, and other motivations to receive seasonal influenza vaccine.

Results

The vaccination rate was 43%, despite low awareness of the initiative (28%). Awareness was significantly higher among vaccinated students (p = 0.0013). Having knowledge that appointments to receive vaccine were not needed increased the motivation of vaccinated students more than unvaccinated students (p = 0.0001). Personal influencers increased motivation of vaccinated students only when they were aware of the initiative (p = 0.04). Tangible incentives did not motivate students.

Conclusions

Campus vaccination rates increased despite low initiative awareness. Improvements to the initiative should include strategies to increase emphasis on vaccination program conveniences like accessibility and perhaps engage personal influencers more.

Keywords:

• Flu risk perception
• influenza vaccine
• influenza vaccination
• college students
• health education

Acknowledgments

At the time the study was conducted, Dr. Habighorst was a Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Pharmacy, Missouri State site. The investigators would like to thank Dr. Ashley Aumiller for her contributions to developing #BtB when she was a Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Pharmacy, Missouri State site.

The investigators would like to thank Dr. Thein Le for assisting with recruitment efforts and publicizing #BtB. At the time of this study he was a Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate at the University of Missouri Kansas City, Missouri State site. The investigators would like to thank Mr. Raymond Presnell and the staff at the Missouri State University Bookstore for their generous in-kind support of the "BearWear" incentive offered as part of #BtB.

Declaration of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Boards of the investigators’ universities.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.