Objective: To examine correlates of and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine initiation and intention among college students. Participants: 1,171 students attending a public university in the South. Methods: Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the correlates of vaccine intention and initiation. Reasons for pursuing or foregoing vaccination…

Misinformation has been a pressing issue since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, threatening our ability to effectively act on the crisis. Nevertheless, little is known about the actual effects of fake news on behavioural intentions. Does exposure to or belief in misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines affect people's intentions to receive…

Objective: The Theory of Planned Behavior has been applied to COVID-19 protective behaviors, but evidence suggests this theory may be less predictive over time and less valid in individualistic societies. The current study applied this theory among American college students as vaccines became available and added perceived risk. Participants: 242…

On college campuses, effective management of vaccine-preventable transmissible pathogens requires understanding student vaccination intentions. This is necessary for developing and tailoring health messaging to maximize uptake of health information and vaccines. The current study explored students' beliefs and attitudes about vaccines in general,…

In January 2020, the World Health Organization declared the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak to be a public health emergency. More than 500 million cases and more than 6 million deaths have been reported, with these numbers growing each day. A major public health initiative for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic was vaccine development…

Objective: Objective: Sexual promiscuity stigma constitutes a significant barrier which prevents young women from receiving catch-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations. Our objective was to explore how this stigma may be particularly detrimental to women in cultures of honor, where women are expected to maintain a reputation of sexual purity.…

Background: Pregnant women are at increased risk of complications from flu, but uptake of flu vaccination is below 75% targets. Evidence suggests that changing illness risk appraisals may increase vaccination behaviour. In 2018-2019, researchers, public health specialists, and pregnant women co-designed a short animation targeting (unhelpful)…

Objective: To determine attitudes, behaviors, and intentions of university students regarding influenza vaccination. Participants: Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students enrolled at a private, midwestern university. Methods: A 24-item electronic survey was designed and distributed after literature review and inputs from experts on…

Objective To assess college students' willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccines and the factors that influence their decisions. Participants: Traditional (aged 18-23) undergraduate students at a university in central Texas. Methods: An online survey was administered in fall 2020 to 614 students stratified by sex and race/ethnicity. Results: 40.9% of…

Social media holds the potential to engage adolescents and young adults and to facilitate interventions improving Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPVV). This article systematically reviewed the literature on Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus and CINAHL. Interventions delivered or facilitated by social media with outcomes of…

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified Human Papillomavirus (HPV) as the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States, with approximately 24 million Americans currently infected. In 2018, men, ages 15-59, had higher HPV infection rates and HPV high-risk type infections compared to…

Background: To examine the relationship between incarceration history and an individual's compliance toward COVID-19 mitigation strategies and vaccination status/intentions. Method: Data are from the "Crime, Health, and Politics Survey" (N = 1,735), a national probability sample of community-dwelling adults aged 18 and above living in…

Objective: Health behavior research suggests that perceived social norms impact health decisions. This study aimed to (a) examine reasons for vaccine hesitancy among a sample of college students compared to a clinical sample (b) examine the accuracy of perceptions of others' receptivity and intention to seek out the COVID-19 vaccine, and (c)…

Background: Increasing COVID-19 vaccine intention in college students is essential to mitigate serious illness and transmission to higher risk populations. We currently do not have an adequate understanding of college students' perceptions and likelihoods of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Purpose: To quantitatively examine the demographic…

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Current guidelines recommend HPV vaccination during adolescence, but vaccination rates remain suboptimal. Efforts are needed to increase vaccination among the catch-up group (individuals aged 18-26 years). Interventions have primarily focused on education,…