Factors associated with receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine on a university campus

Background: University students are vulnerable to seasonal influenza due to high levels of social contact.  Students can reduce their risk of contracting seasonal influenza by receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine among undergraduate students at the California State University, Northridge (CSUN).  

Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 383 undergraduate students at CSUN in January 2014.  Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine. 

Results: Only 20.6% of students reported receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine within the last 6 months.  Approximately half of these students (46.2%) reported visiting a medical provider within the last 6 months and of these, only 58.3% reported being encouraged by their medical provider to receive the vaccine. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, and residing on/off campus were not found to be associated with vaccination.  In a multivariate analysis, students who reported receiving the vaccine were more likely to report having health insurance (odds ratio [OR]=5.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.92-16.48), having visited a medical provider within the last 6 months (OR=1.91, 95% CI=1.02-3.57), and having been encouraged by a health professional to receive the vaccine (OR=4.21, 95% CI=1.99-8.88).

Conclusion: A substantial number of university students are not receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine, representing an important area for improvement.  Awareness of factors associated with vaccinations will be useful in targeting future public health strategies to increase seasonal influenza vaccination rates among university students.