Medicina (Oct 2022)

Association of University Students’ COVID-19 Vaccination Intention with Behaviors toward Protection and Perceptions Regarding the Pandemic

  • Chrysoula Dafogianni,
  • Freideriki Eleni Kourti,
  • Ioannis Koutelekos,
  • Afroditi Zartaloudi,
  • Evangelos Dousis,
  • Areti Stavropoulou,
  • Nikoletta Margari,
  • Georgia Toulia,
  • Despoina Pappa,
  • Polyxeni Mangoulia,
  • Eftychia Ferentinou,
  • Anna Giga,
  • Georgia Gerogianni

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58101438
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 58, no. 10
p. 1438

Abstract

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Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious global health problem. Vaccination is suggested to be one of the most efficacious precautionary measures, in combination with other protective behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore the association of students’ intention to get vaccinated about COVID-19 with protection behaviors and perceptions about the pandemic. Material and Methods: The study sample included 1920 university students who electronically completed two validated questionnaires anonymously and voluntarily from December 2020 to January 2021. Results: Results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that as the perceived general risk was getting lower, the number of protective behaviors significantly diminished (p p = 0.006). However, the experience of respondents with people having COVID-19 had statistically significant association with undertaking more preventing behaviors (p = 0.004). Lower general perception of risk had statistically significant association with lower determination to obtain the vaccines of COVID-19 (p p = 0.005 and p Conclusions: The results of this study can provide universities with the appropriate information about the improvement of COVID-19 vaccination strategies.

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