title: Influenza vaccination challenges in an at-risk student population: considerations for health services.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The American College Health Association's, National College Health Assessment (ACHA's NCHA) estimates 46.1% of college students reported being vaccinated in the last year.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  1) To understand the college student's knowledge, attitude, and beliefs in regards to influenza vaccination; 2) To establish recommendations in a population where high risk transmission does not consistently translate into high vaccination rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Utilizing the health belief model (HBM), a cross-sectional study of college student perspectives of influenza vaccination was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Student beliefs regarding vaccination-associated illness and the importance of vaccination did influence vaccination behavior. However, student perceptions of being at risk for the flu and the lack of barriers to vaccination were not found to be significant indicators of vaccination behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For this particular population, vaccination promotion efforts may be most effectively targeted in the sophomore and junior years. Findings of this study inform efforts among University Health Services regarding seasonal flu prevention and vaccination on the college campus.
authors.affiliation: JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc., Bow, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: Adelaide R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: University of New Hampshire, College of Health and Human Services, Department of Health Management and Policy #319 Hewitt Hall, 4 Library Way, Durham, NH 03824, United States of America, Phone: 603-862-3653, Fax: 603-862-3461.
authors.forename: Rosemary M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Caron
keywords: college student; health belief model (HBM); influenza; prevention; vaccination