title: Using electronic mail to improve MMR uptake amongst third level students.
abstract: This study assessed the usefulness of email in informing third level students about special MMR clinics being provided on campus during a mumps outbreak in the North West of Ireland. Email messages were sent directly to students, informing them of the clinics, inviting them to make a clinic appointment by email and providing details of walk-in clinics. At the clinics, all 177 attendees were asked to fill out a questionnaire and the response rate was 89% (n=158). Regarding the main sources of information about the vaccination clinics, email was selected by 117 (74%) students, word-of-mouth by 27 (17%), posters/leaflets by 8 (5%), and other sources by 6 (4%). Use of email as a source of information was rated as very good/excellent by 115 (73%), as good by 35 (22%) and poor/fair by 8 (5%). This study demonstrates that email is a useful and acceptable way of informing third level students about immunisation clinics in an outbreak situation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Medicine, HSE West, Donegal/Sligo/Leitrim Area, Bridgewater House, Rockwood Parade, Sligo. fionnuala.cooney@hse.ie
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schinaia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Breslin
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D034742:Electronic Mail; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D009107:Mumps / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine