The gap in knowledge and information-seeking between high and low socioeconomic status (SES) has been well documented. This study extends this knowledge gap hypothesis to narrative persuasion in the context of parents' knowledge and information-seeking intention concerning adolescents' COVID-19 vaccination. It specifically tests if the gap is…

Objective: To promote influenza vaccine acceptance among community college students during the Fall 2020 semester to reduce the incidence of a "twin-demic" occurring of influenza and COVID-19. Participants: A convenience sample of 185 students enrolled in an entry level health course. Methods: Non-experimental cross-sectional design that…

Informed scientific thinking is a vital component of engaging all socioscientific issues (SSI) such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, socioscientific engagement may be influenced by sociocultural factors and mis/disinformation efforts to the widespread detriment of human and environmental well-being. The purpose of this…

Misinformation regarding vaccine science decreased the receptiveness to COVID-19 vaccines, exacerbating the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. To mitigate the negative societal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, impactful and creative science communication was needed, yet little research has explored how to encourage COVID-19…

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of a multifaceted public health approach. Promoting health literacy and safe behaviour to reduce disease spread can be an effective social vaccine. However, the role of science teachers as part of a social vaccine is unclear. Similarly, their responses to health crises and the factors affecting such…

Research suggests that discounting of delayed rewards (i.e., tendency to choose smaller immediate rewards over large later rewards) is a promising target of intervention to encourage compliance with public health measures (PHM), such as vaccination compliance. The effects of delay discounting, however, may differ across the types of PHMs, given…

Despite the proven effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing severe illness, many individuals, including older adults who are most susceptible to the virus, have opted against vaccination. Various factors could shape vaccination decisions, including seeking health information (HI). The internet is the primary source of HI today; however,…

Objective: We assessed the psychosocial influences on college males' human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine patient-provider communication and their uptake of one or more HPV vaccine doses. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with college males attending one large southwestern university. We used logistic regressions to explore the…

As the new academic year begins, higher education providers (HEPs) are building on their experience of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic--including key partnerships with public health--to mitigate possible risks of monkeypox. This briefing provides principles for the prevention and case management of monkeypox infections in UK higher education…

Background: According to the WHO, human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name of a group of 200 known viruses. Although they do not cause concerns in most people, infection with some high-risk types such as 16 and 18 causes cancer. Infection with milder strains are more common and tend to cause warts. Persistent HPV infection with high-risk HPV types…

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the engineering profession with the highest demand in 2021 is biomedical engineering (BME) (BLS, January 2021). Biomedical engineers combine engineering principles with medical and biological sciences to design and create equipment, devices, computer systems, and software used in healthcare (BLS, 2021).…

Objective: To evaluate college students' awareness of an educational initiative to increase campus influenza vaccination rates and strategies to improve it. Participants: Students attending a large public comprehensive university. Methods: An investigator-developed, online survey evaluated awareness of the initiative, the students' perception of…

Background: Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the staff who support them were largely in-person during the 2021-2022 school year, despite their continued vulnerability to infection with SARS-CoV-2. This qualitative study aimed to understand continued perceptions of weekly SARS-CoV-2 screening testing of students…

Objective: The purpose of this project was to pilot and determine the outcomes of a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary human papillomavirus awareness and vaccination campaign within a university community. Participants: Students, faculty, and staff of a large urban Midwest-based public university. Methods: This consisted of five key interventions:…

To examine mental health status, COVID-19 vaccine intention and barriers among college students in the U.S. Participants: Students (n = 337) registered at a large public university in 2021. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data were collected online and analyzed using independent samples t test, chi-square test, and one-way ANOVA. Results: Compared…