Attitudes and Knowledge of European Medical Students and Early Graduates about Vaccination and Self-Reported Vaccination Coverage—Multinational Cross-Sectional Survey

Olga M. Rostkowska, Alexandra Peters, Jonas Montvidas, Tudor M. Magdas, Leon Rensen, Wojciech S. Zgliczyński, Magdalena Durlik and Benedikt W. Pelzer
Additional contact information
Olga M. Rostkowska: Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
Alexandra Peters: European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA), Rue Guimard 15, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Jonas Montvidas: European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA), Rue Guimard 15, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tudor M. Magdas: European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA), Rue Guimard 15, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Leon Rensen: European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA), Rue Guimard 15, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Wojciech S. Zgliczyński: School of Public Health, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Kleczewska 61/63, 01-826 Warsaw, Poland
Magdalena Durlik: Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
Benedikt W. Pelzer: European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA), Rue Guimard 15, 1040 Brussels, Belgium

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: Vaccination is one of the most useful preventive interventions in healthcare. The purpose of our study was to gain overview of the opinions, knowledge, and engagement in vaccination practices among medical students (MS) and junior doctors (JD) in Europe. The survey was distributed from March 2016 until August 2016 via the e-mail and social media of the European Medical Students’ Association. In total, 1821 responses from MS and JD from 34 countries in the European region were analysed. The majority of respondents agreed that vaccines are useful (98.7%) and effective (97.2%). Although the necessity of revaccination was supported by 99.2%, only 68.0% of the respondents went through with it. Even though the potential benefit of the flu vaccination seems to be acknowledged by our participants, only 22.1% of MS and JD declared getting the flu shot every or every other season. MS and JD were in favour of specific mandatory vaccination for medical staff (86.0%) and medical students (82.7%). Furthermore, we analysed the self-reported vaccination coverage of our participants regarding 19 vaccines. Of the respondents, 89.5% claimed to provide advice about vaccination to their friends and family. In conclusion, European MS and JD have a very positive attitude towards vaccination. However, their behaviour and knowledge demonstrate certain gaps which should be further addressed in medical education.

Keywords: medical students; vaccination; vaccination programs; influenza; medical education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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