Vaccination rates among international students: Insights from a university health vaccination initiative

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effects of a university’s health vaccination initiative in increasing vaccination rates among international students/scholars in the United States. Methods: The vaccination initiative included: increasing vaccination opportunities by holding a pre-registration event, providing vaccine recommendations from healthcare professionals including a bilingual health interpreter, implementing campus-based marketing strategies, sending reminders using social media, and offering free and affordable vaccines. Results: Total 575 international students/scholars attended from 2016 to 2019 (N = 118, 163, 193, and 101, respectively), showing an increase compared to 2015. The most common vaccines administered were for influenza, human papillomavirus (HPV), tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap), and Hepatitis A. Slightly less than one-quarter of participants received three or more vaccines. More women than men received HPV vaccine. Participants shared they would not have been vaccinated without this initiative and wished for more vaccination events. Conclusions: Future efforts are needed to implement this initiative across universities to further evaluate its effectiveness.