Published in:
01-12-2011 | Original Article
Knowledge about the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) and willingness to accept vaccination: a cross-sectional survey
Published in: Journal of Public Health | Issue 6/2011
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Aims
(1) To determine undergraduate medical students' knowledge about and perceptions of influenza A (H1N1) infection, (2) to explore their willingness to be vaccinated, and (3) to identify variables that could predict the likelihood of taking the vaccination.
Subject and methods
A cross-sectional survey with a convenience sample of 264 medical students was performed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Summary statistics, Pearson chi-square test and logistic regression were used for data analysis.
Results
A total of 264 undergraduate medical students were interviewed. All of them had heard of the influenza vaccine, but none had ever been vaccinated at the time of survey. Regarding mode of transmission, 38.3% had at least two misconceptions. Of them, 43% had willingness to be vaccinated. In the binary logistic model, willingness to be vaccinated was statistically significant with those who feared the resurgence of a pandemic influenza (p = 0.01), those who trusted that vaccination would be effective for prevention of a pandemic influenza (p = 0.045), and those who were worried for family (p = 0.03) and if the vaccination would be freely provided (p = 0.04).
Conclusion
The findings may be helpful for decision makers and health care planners as baseline information for designing wider coverage of newly implemented vaccination programs.