A systematic review of student vaccine attitudes and vaccine policy on college and university campuses, 2000-2022

Objective: To summarize the literature 1) evaluating college student knowledge and attitudes toward vaccines and 2) examining associations between vaccine uptake and school-dependent variables. Method(s): We reviewed all U.S.-based English-language primary literature published between January 1, 2000 and September 20, 2022 available online in PubMed/MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases. The initial search included studies mentioning college/university, vaccine/immunization, and one of the following terms: prevention, delivery, acceptance, uptake, or policy. Study screening, quality assessment, and data extraction were performed by author pairs using Covidence, a web-based screening and data extraction tool for conducting systematic reviews. Result(s): Out of 58 studies, 37 (64%) used survey methodology and 5 (9%) were randomized controlled trials. Forty studies focused on HPV vaccines. Easy access to vaccines, perceived vulnerability to disease, self-efficacy, and social norms influenced vaccine decision-making. Conclusion(s): While studies assessing student awareness, social norms, and message framing for vaccine uptake on campuses exist, mostly for the HPV vaccine, few have evaluated college vaccine policy.