Knowledge and compliance with recommendations for seasonal influenza vaccination among medical and dental students

Vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for everyone older than 6 months. It is underlined, that healthcare workers and students may contribute to nosocomial influenza transmission, however, flu vaccination rate among medical stuff remains low. The aim of this study was the assessment of knowledge of flu vaccination recommendations and compliance with them among medical and dental students in conjunction with analysis of potential differences according to the type of faculty. The study was conducted from 10th to 16th October 2017 with the use of anonymous survey among 203 healthcare students of Wroclaw Medical University (131 medical students, 72 dentistry students). The questionnaire was divided into 3 sections: demographic data, vaccination status, knowledge of recommendations. Obtained data showed that declared vaccination rate in season 2016/2017 was 15.82%, and 13.92% in 2015/2016. Although we observed that influenza vaccination coverage was higher among dental students, the difference was statistically insignificant. Knowledge of recommendations was good, 78% of students knew, that influenza vaccination is recommended for healthcare workers, and 73% answered, that it also concerns healthcare students. Significant differences in identification of groups, for which flu vaccination is especially recommended, were observed. Dental students more frequently chose all correct answers (p-value 0,006). Also sources of knowledge differed (p-value 0,007), medical students more often declared using professional medical journals, while dental students more frequently indicated impact of family. Although the knowledge of recommendations for influenza vaccination is rather good among students, vaccination coverage remains low. Identification of gaps in students' knowledge and differences according to faculty, may suggest directions in which activities promoting regular vaccination against influenza should concentrate.