ICJIM
Intercontinental Journal of Internal Medicine

The Intercontinental Journal of Internal Medicine aims to publish issues related to all fields of internal medicine of the highest scientific and clinical value at an international level and accepts articles on these topics.

eISSN: 2980-0846
Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License.
EndNote Style

Online Manuscript System

Index
Original Article
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical students regarding adult immunization: a cross-sectional study
Abstract
Aims: Our aim was to conduct a comparative assessment of medical students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding adult vaccination by class year.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted from January to May 2017 among medical students at a medical school, sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge levels regarding adult vaccines, and support for vaccination programs were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Knowledge scores were compared across class years; following univariate analyses of variables associated with support for vaccination programs, a binary logistic regression model was constructed.
Results: In our study, the rate of awareness of the Adult Immunization Guidelines was found to be significantly higher among sixth-year students (p < 0.001). In particular, the tendency to get vaccinated against hepatitis B and tetanus was also significantly higher among sixth-year students (p < 0.001). In a logistic regression analysis in which support for vaccination programs was taken as the dependent variable, it was found that a 1-unit increase in the score for skepticism regarding the necessity of vaccines reduced the likelihood of supporting vaccination programs by 55% (OR=0.45), while an increase in the score for reluctance to get vaccinated reduced the likelihood of support by 38% (OR=0.62). It was found that a 1-unit increase in the belief that vaccinating adults is protective increased the likelihood of supporting vaccination programs by 3.70 times (OR=3.70), while an increase in the regular exercise score increased this likelihood by 1.54 times (OR=1.54) and an increase in the healthy eating score increased it by 1.81 times (OR=1.81).
Conclusion: Although it is observed that medical students' fundamental knowledge regarding adult immunization increases as the academic term progresses, their sense of being inadequately prepared in this area is likely to negatively affect their future ability to recommend vaccinations. Therefore, there is a need for structured educational interventions to raise awareness of adult immunization guidelines.

Keywords : Medical education, medical students, adult, immunization

Download Article
Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Clinical Researches Ethics Committee of Ondokuz Mayıs University (Date: 01.12.2016, Decision No: OMÜ KAEK 2016/362).

Informed Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants prior to their inclusion in the study. Participants were fully informed about the study’s aims, procedures, potential risks and benefits, and their rights—including the right to withdraw at any time without consequence. All participants voluntarily signed a written informed consent form.

Author Contributions

Concept: MT, FAAİ; Design: MT; Control: FAAİ; Data Collection and/or Processing: MT; Analysis and/or Interpretation: MT, FAAİ; Literature Review: MT; Article Writing: MT; Critical Review: FAAİ.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the conduct or publication of this research.


1. Jiang N, Wei B, Lin H, Wang Y, Chai S, Liu W. Nursing students' attitudes, knowledge and willingness of to receive the coronavirus disease vaccine: a cross-sectional study. Nurse Educ Pract. 2021;55:103148. doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103148
2. Mussetto I, Bernucci MC, Kaminska AE, et al. Prevalence and determinants of vaccination intention towards routine immunizations in university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2025;25(1):1443. doi:10.1186/s12889-025-22697-1
3. Akan H, Gurol Y, Izbirak G, et al. Knowledge and attitudes of university students toward pandemic influenza: a cross-sectional study from Turkey. BMC Public Health. 2010;10(1):413. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-413
4. Costa AdS, Gomes JM, Germani ACCG, et al. Knowledge gaps and acquisition about HPV and its vaccine among Brazilian medical students. PLoS One. 2020;15(3):e0230058. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230058
5. Kempe A, Lindley MC, O'Leary ST, et al. Shared Clinical Decision-Making Recommendations for Adult Immunization: What Do Physicians Think? J Gen Intern Med. 2021;36(8):2283-2291. doi:10.1007/s11606-020-06456-z
6. Wang L, Zhang X, Zhang Q, Zhang S. Understanding medical students’ practices and perceptions towards vaccination in China: a qualitative study in a medical university. Vaccine. 2019;37(25):3369-3378. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.03.053
7. Herrera-Restrepo O, Bunniran S, Mond T, et al. United States physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Meningococcal vaccination for healthy adolescents and young adults. J Adolesc Health. 2024;74(6):1131-1138. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.11.394
8. Shirahmadi S, Hazavehei SMM, Abbasi H, et al. Effectiveness of online practical education on vaccination training in the students of bachelor programs during the Covid-19 pandemic. PLoS One. 2023;18(1): e0280312. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0280312
9. Lepiller Q, Bouiller K, Slekovec C, et al. Perceptions of French healthcare students of vaccines and the impact of conducting an intervention in health promotion. Vaccine. 2020;38(43):6794-6799. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.08.036
10. Tchoualeu DD, Fleming M, Traicoff DA. A systematic review of pre-service training on vaccination and immunization. Vaccine. 2023;41(20): 3156-3170. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.03.062
11. Haile K, Timerga A, Mose A, Mekonnen Z. Hepatitis B vaccination status and associated factors among students of medicine and health sciences in Wolkite University, Southwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. PLoS One. 2021;16(9):e0257621. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257621
12. Chauhan S, Tiwari SK, Dubey V, et al. Knowledge, attitude, and reasons for non-uptake of human papilloma virus vaccination among nursing students. BMC Med. 2025;23(1):35. doi:10.1186/s12916-025-03874-w
13. Rogers CJ, Bahr KO, Benjamin SM. Attitudes and barriers associated with seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among public health students; a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1131. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-6041-1
14. Patelarou E, Galanis P, Mechili EA, et al. Factors influencing nursing students' intention to accept COVID-19 vaccination: a pooled analysis of seven European countries. Nurse Educ Today. 2021;104:105010. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105010
15. Azzam H, Kamel B, Esawy A, et al. Knowledge and attitude on family planning among medical students in Egypt: a multicentric cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2025;25(1):1966. doi:10.1186/s12889-024-20827-9
16. Herrmann-Werner A, Festl-Wietek T, Gille C, Zipfel S, Wiechers S. Medical student attitudes on vaccination relevance: a mixed-method study. PLoS One. 2022;17(8):e0273529. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0273529
17. Du F, Chantler T, Francis MR, et al. The determinants of vaccine hesitancy in China: a cross-sectional study following the Changchun Changsheng vaccine incident. Vaccine. 2020;38(47):7464-7471. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.09.075
18. Chen H, Li X, Gao J, et al. Health belief model perspective on the control of covıd-19 vaccine hesitancy and the promotion of vaccination in China: web-based cross-sectional study. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(9): e29329. doi:10.2196/29329
19. Wang Q, Yang L, Jin H, Lin L. Vaccination against COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of acceptability and its predictors. Prev Med. 2021;150:106694. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106694
20. Xiao X, Wong RM. Vaccine hesitancy and perceived behavioral control: a meta-analysis. Vaccine. 2020;38(33):5131-5138. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.04.076
21. Adane M, Ademas A, Kloos H. Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine and refusal to receive COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers in northeastern Ethiopia. BMC Public Health. 2022; 22(1):128. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-12362-8
22. Moscardino U, Musso P, Inguglia C, Ceccon C, Miconi D, Rousseau C. Sociodemographic and psychological correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance in the young adult population in Italy. Vaccine. 2022;40(16):2379-2387. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.03.018
23. Hawlader MDH, Eva FN, Khan MAS, et al. Acceptance of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among the parents of eligible daughters (9-15 years) in Bangladesh: a nationwide study using Health Belief Model. PLoS One. 2024;19(11):e0310779. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0310779
24. Morze J, Danielewicz A, Hoffmann G, Schwingshackl L. Diet quality as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index, Alternate Healthy Eating Index, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Score, and health outcomes: a second update of a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2020;120(12):1998-2031.e15. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2020.08.076
25. Chastin SFM, Abaraogu U, Bourgois JG, et al. Effects of regular physical activity on the immune system, vaccination and risk of community-acquired infectious disease in the general population: systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2021;51(8):1673-1686. doi:10.1007/s40279-021-01466-1
26. Bohn-Goldbaum E, Owen KB, Lee VY, Booy R, Edwards KM. Physical activity and acute exercise benefit influenza vaccination response: a systematic review with individual participant data meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2022;17(6):e0268625. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0268625
27. Graupensperger S, Abdallah DA, Lee CM. Social norms and vaccine uptake: college students’ COVID vaccination intentions, attitudes, and estimated peer norms and comparisons with influenza vaccine. Vaccine. 2021;39(15):2060-2067. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.03.018
Article available in :
Volume 4, Issue 4, 2026
Page : 84-90
https://doi.org/10.51271/ICJIM-0083
Article Information
Received : 21 Eyl 2026
Accepted : 23 Eki 2026
Published : 28 Eki 2026
Corresponding Author :

Merve Taştan: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Amasya University, Amasya, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Taştan M, Artıran İğde FA. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical students regarding adult immunization: a cross sectional study. Intercont J Int Med. 2026;4(4):84-90. doi:10.51271/ICJIM-0083

Read: 8
Download : 5
Cited: 0
_Footer