COVID-19 Vaccinating Russian Medical Students—Challenges and Solutions: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The role of preventive measures increases significantly in the absence of effective specific COVID-19 treatment. Mass population immunization and the achievement of collective immunity are of particular importance. The future development of public attitudes towards SARS-CoV-2 immunization depends significantly on medical students, as future physicians. Therefore, it seemed relevant to determine the percentage of COVID-19-vaccinated medical students and to identify the factors significantly affecting this indicator. Methods: A total of 2890 medical students from years one to six, studying at nine leading Russian medical universities, participated in an anonymous sociological survey. The study was performed in accordance with the STROBE guidelines. Results: It was found that the percentage of vaccinated Russian medical students at the beginning of the academic year 2021 was 58.8 ± 7.69%, which did not significantly differ from the vaccination coverage of the general population in the corresponding regions (54.19 ± 4.83%). Student vaccination rate was largely determined by the region-specific epidemiological situation. The level of student vaccination coverage did not depend on the gender or student residence (in a family or in a university dormitory). The group of senior students had a higher number of COVID-19 vaccine completers than the group of junior students. The lack of reliable information about COVID-19 vaccines had a pronounced negative impact on the SARS-CoV-2 immunization process. Significant information sources influencing student attitudes toward vaccination included medical professionals, medical universities, academic conferences, and manuscripts, which at that time provided the least information. Conclusion: The obtained results make it possible to develop recommendations to promote SARS-CoV-2 immunoprophylaxis among students and the general population and to increase collective immunity.

Vaccination as a Significant Factor Influencing the Psychoemotional State of Medical Students During the Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic: An International Aspect

“…The real COVID-19 vaccination rate among first-year medical students at Sechenov University in autumn 2021 was 53.53±7.78%, significantly lower than the target value for collective immunity, determined at 80% by the Russian Federal Service on Customers’ Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance. Similar results indicating an insufficient SARS-COV-2 vaccination rate among medical students were reported in several other studies, including our own [ 21 , 25 ].…”

“…It was found that the COVID-19 vaccination rate was significantly higher in first-year medical students than in the adult population of both Moscow and Baku due to the greater awareness of medical students about COVID-19 severity and available treatment options emphasized in other studies [ 17 , 21 , 25 ]. Moscow had a lower vaccination rate than Baku.…”

“…The percentage of medical students willing to recommend COVID-19 vaccination and thereby contribute increasing the collective immunity level is significantly dependent on the percentage of students who have been COVID-19 vaccinated [ 21 ]. So it is very important to achieve high rates of COVID-19 vaccination coverage in this group as they will counsel vaccine-hesitant people [ 26 - 28 ].…”

“…So it is very important to achieve high rates of COVID-19 vaccination coverage in this group as they will counsel vaccine-hesitant people [ 26 - 28 ]. Medical students from Moscow and Baku branches indicated that the main reason for COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among medical students was the lack of reliable information about SARS-COV-2 vaccines, which was also emphasized by other scientists [ 21 , 26 , 29 , 30 ]. It was proved that the percentage of students who decided to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 was positively correlated with the percentage of students whose main sources of information were medical professionals, medical universities, scientific conferences, and manuscripts that currently provide the least information about active SARS-CoV-2 immunization to medical students [ 21 ].…”

“…The original questionnaire was designed at Sechenov University. All questions were checked to be clear and easy to understand by three independent, experienced experts [ 21 ]. At first, students fill out personal information such as institutional affiliation, residence, age and sex.…”