Influenza vaccination coverage and associated factors among medical students in Egypt: A cross-sectional multicenter study

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Background: Influenza is a common infectious disease and is responsible for between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths annually. Vaccination is the best preventive strategy for decreasing influenza severity and is highly recommended for medical students. This study aims to estimate influenza vaccination coverage, its associated factors, and future willingness to receive it among medical students. Design and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students at six Egyptian universities to represent different geographic areas using a self-administered, anonymity-based online questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was adopted to determine the predictors of previous influenza vaccination and future willingness to get it. Results: A total of 1364 students completed the questionnaire. 22.9% of students had received the influenza vaccine at least once in their lives, while 22.4% of the participants had been vaccinated in the index year and 24.7% in the preceding year. Among the ever-vaccinated group, the most frequent motive was to protect themselves and their families (80.8%). The most common reasons for refusing the vaccine were a lack of knowledge about recommended vaccinations (25.7%) and believing that influenza is trivial (25.5%). The willingness to take the vaccine was 55.7% among students, with the majority from the never-been-vaccinated group (70.8%). Students from Alexandria University, having received three COVID-19 vaccine doses and no prior influenza vaccine uptake, were independent predictors for future vaccine willingness (AORs: 0.678, 1.805, and 0.432, respectively). Conclusion: Vaccination coverage among medical students in Egypt was low, so a comprehensive awareness program is needed to improve students' knowledge and enhance vaccine uptake.

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