Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward seasonal influenza vaccine during the COVID‑19 pandemic among students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences‑Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Amir Abushouk 1
. Mohamed Eldigire Ahmed 1
. Zaher Althagaf 2
. Abdulrhman Almehmadi 2
. Samer Alasmari 2
. Fares Alenezi 2
. Muhannad Fallata 2
. Rayan Alshamrani 2

1 College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU‑HS), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ministry of the National Guard‑Health Affairs (MNGHA), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

2 College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU‑HS), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Annual influenza vaccine is recommended among health professionals especially,
health science undergraduates; although, studies suggest that there is a low level of vaccine coverage
among health care undergraduates. Thus, the study aimed to investigate students’ knowledge,
attitudes, and practices regarding the seasonal influenza vaccine at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University
for Health Sciences (KSAU‑HS) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
METHODS: A cross‑sectional, unicentral study was carried out during the period of April to November
2021. A total of 341 validated questionnaires that included four sections were distributed in all four
different colleges of KSAU‑HS. Data management and analyses were carried out using Statistical
Software for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.
RESULTS: Out of 341 respondents, 336 participants completed the full survey (98.53% completion
rate). The majority of participants were males (67.6% and the most participants were from the college
of medicine (60.4%). The mean knowledge score of students was found to be (11.3 ± 2.0) out of 14
points. The most common barrier to vaccination among healthcare students was not having enough
time to take the vaccine (23.8%), while the second one was the COVID‑19 pandemic (22.32%). The
vaccination rate in 2020 was 103 (30.7%), while 235 (80.4%) students stated that they have received
the vaccine previously. School/work requirements and the student’s awareness of the vaccine’s
importance were the most common reasons for taking the influenza vaccine.
CONCLUSION: Even though students showed a high level of knowledge and a positive attitude
towards the influenza vaccine, they generally had a low level of vaccine uptake. To enhance
immunization rates, we encourage vaccine campaigns in all healthcare colleges. Further studies are
needed to identify influences on students’ attitudes and practices regarding influenza vaccination.

Keywords

Attitude
KAP
knowledge
KSAU‑HS
practice
seasonal influenza
vaccine
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 13, Issue 1
Winter 2023
Pages 1-7

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