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Misinformation regarding vaccine science decreased the receptiveness to COVID-19 vaccines, exacerbating the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. To mitigate the negative societal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, impactful and creative science communication was needed, yet little research has explored how to encourage COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and address misconceptions held by non-Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics majors (referred to as non-majors). We have previously demonstrated that including expert guest lectures in the vaccine module in the non-major introductory biology course helps combat students' vaccine hesitancy. In the present study, we further address how learning about vaccines impacts student knowledge and impressions of the COVID-19 vaccines through a podcast assignment. As a part of this assignment, non-majors created podcasts to address COVID-19 vaccine misconceptions of their choice. We coded pre and post, open-ended essay reflections (n = 40) to assess non-majors' knowledge and impressions of the COVID-19 vaccines. Non-majors' impressions of the vaccines improved following the podcast assignment with more than three times as many students reporting a positive view of the assignment than negative views. Notably, eight of the nine interviewed students still ended the course with misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccines, such as the vaccines being unnecessary or causing fertility issues. In a post semi-structured interview following this assignment, students (n = 7) discussed the impact of looking into the specific misconceptions related to COVID-19 vaccines themselves, including improved science communication skills and understanding of different perspectives. Thus, podcasts can provide opportunities for students to improve engagement in valuable societal topics like vaccine literacy in the non-majors classroom.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has underscored the importance of mRNA vaccines. The mechanism for how such vaccines work is related to the core biology topic of the central dogma, which students often misunderstand despite its importance. Therefore, we wanted to know whether students can apply their biology knowledge of central dogma to the real-world issue of how mRNA COVID vaccines work. Accordingly, we asked college biology students of different expertise levels how the COVID vaccine worked. Later, we cued them by telling them the vaccine contains mRNA and asked them what the mRNA does. We used thematic analysis to find common ideas in their responses. In the uncued condition, fewer than half of the students used central dogma-related ideas to explain what was in the vaccine or how the vaccine worked. Inaccurate ideas were present among all groups of biology students, particularly entering biology majors and non-biology majors, including the idea that the COVID vaccines contain a weakened, dead, or variant form of the COVID virus. After students were cued, many more students in all expertise groups expressed central dogma-related themes, showing that students could apply the knowledge of central dogma if prompted. Advanced biology majors were much more likely to state that the vaccines code for a viral protein, indicating their advanced application of central dogma concepts. These results highlight inaccurate ideas common among students and show changes in the ability to apply knowledge with student expertise level, which could inform future interventions to support student learning about vaccines and central dogma.

This study investigated the concerns and perceptions associated with COVID-19 and its variants among faculty, students, staff, and administrators at an R2 research university. Participants: n = 189 participants from the university community. A Qualtrics™ survey was used to draw responses from the university community. The results of this study revealed that (1) Approximately 2/3 of survey respondents are concerned about the appearance of Delta and Omicron COVID-19 variants; (2) 53.7% of respondents were inclined to get vaccinated after the new COVID-19 variants surfaced; (3) 22.2% of respondents tested positive for COVID-19 after becoming fully vaccinated; (4) 70.4% of respondents said they would get the booster shot for COVID-19; (5) 77.2% of respondents felt that there would be a new COVID variant identified this year beyond Delta and Omicron; and (6) Less than 20% of survey respondents feel safe on campus during the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. There remains a general feeling of vulnerability while on campus two years into the COVID-19 pandemic.

Immunization is a highly cost-effective investment in health, proven to be an effective tool in controlling and eliminating dangerous infectious diseases. Health science students require evidence-based knowledge to tackle challenges in healthcare, particularly in the field of vaccination. The aim of the current study is to asses students' knowledge on vaccinations and further explore their feedback after attending Educating Vaccination Competence web-based course (EDUVAC web-based course). Students from five Higher Educational Institutes voluntarily participated in the EDUVAC web-based course. The course provided various study materials, including PowerPoint presentations, videos, quizzes, texts, and references to reputable websites. It also offered small assignments and self-tests for self-evaluation. An online questionnaire was available to students before and after they completed the EDUVAC web-based course. The mean knowledge score on vaccines increased significantly after the EDUVAC web-based course (p<0.001). The majority of the students (95%) felt that the web-based course has benefitted them for their future career and 96.4% would encourage other students to attend the EDUVAC web-based course. Overall, our findings suggest that EDUVAC is a valuable resource for those seeking to enhance their understanding of vaccination.

Background: Rural populations in the USA demonstrate a high degree of vaccine hesitancy, particularly surrounding COVID-19 vaccines. Objectives: Following the successful implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination campaign with a rural-based health system in New York state, the goal of this project was to develop a large community-academic partnership with multiple rural-based community organisations to implement an additional COVID-19 vaccination campaign tailored to rural audiences. Methods: Campaign materials were created and refined with several collaborators across multiple ruralbased hospitals, health centres and community organisations. Campaign effectiveness was examined through an analysis of New York state vaccination data. Lessons learned: This project shows that larger community-academic partnerships involving multiple organisations can be achieved and utilised to address complex public health issues such as vaccine hesitancy. Conclusions: Larger and longer-term community-academic partnerships can be leveraged to combat a wide range of public health issues and enable a personalised focus on specific communities.

The COVID-19 pathogen led to a fast expanding pandemic because it proved lethal in certain populations but could be transmitted by persons who appeared healthy. As a result, researchers came under unprecedented time pressure to develop a vaccine. This case study focuses on the first COVID-19 vaccine, which was approved for use in humans, known as Comirnaty, the BioNTech-Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine or Vaccine BNT162b2. With the benefit of hindsight, we show how close collaboration with regulators and trust-based decisions meant that the race for a COVID-19 vaccine was won without purposefully infecting healthy participants with an infectious agent that can cause severe illness or death and for which no rescue therapy had existed.

The COVID-19 pandemic touched off an unprecedented search for vaccines and treatments. Without question, the development of vaccines to prevent COVID-19 was an enormous scientific accomplishment. Further, the RECOVERY and Solidarity trials identified effective treatments for COVID-19. But all was not success. The urgent need for COVID-19 prevention and treatment fueled an embrace of risks--to research participants and to the reliability of the science itself--as allegedly necessary costs to speed scientific progress. Scientists and (even) ethicists supported overturning longstanding norms protecting healthy volunteers in human challenge trials to speed vaccine development, but these trials led to no vaccines. Physicians, with the approval of research ethics committees, designed hundreds of unblinded, single-center clinical trials at high risk of bias to speed the identification of new treatments. But these clinical trials led to no treatments. The lesson for future pandemics is that the acceptance of greater risks to participants or science does not reliably lead to progress. We are better served by science that upholds the highest ethical and methodological standards.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent 90% of cancers caused by HPV. Health care provider recommendations affect vaccine uptake, yet there are a lack of studies examining the impact of the school nurse (SN) in vaccine recommendations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of adding a SN HPV recommendation to the standard vaccination letter sent to parents/guardians. The rate of vaccination between the intervention and control schools was not statistically significant (Estimate (Std. Error) = -0.3066 (0.2151), p = 0.154). After controlling for age, sex, race, insurance type, and medical practice type, there was no significant difference in the likelihood to receive the HPV vaccine (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 0.563-4.19 in 2018; OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 0.124-14.54 in 2019. Further work is needed to clarify how school nurses can better promote HPV vaccine, and which adolescent demographic groups (e.g., race, insurance type, provider type) face barriers to HPV vaccine uptake.

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) experience increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies suggest that a vaccine against AD may be forthcoming. Parental buy-in is critical to the success of any intervention in this population, as adults with DS often rely on familial support. This study aims to characterize parents' perceptions of a hypothetical vaccine to prevent AD in individuals with DS. A mixed-methods, anonymous survey was distributed via social media. Participants were asked about their experiences with DS and reactions to proposed interventions. Open-ended responses were thematically analyzed using NVivo 12. Of 1,093 surveys initiated, 532 were completed. Of the parents sampled (N = 532), a small majority (54.3%), supported the proposed AD vaccine. All expressed the need for extensive pre-enrollment education and minimal risk. For many, limited research and long-term sequelae were concerns.

This paper presents a novel approach to teaching how vaccines work in the body, and introduces a community outreach project and activity we piloted with youth. Our Nuestra Ciencia program addresses scientific misconceptions among bilingual elementary school children in engaging and scientifically accurate ways. Utilizing analogies and storytelling, one of our lessons simplifies the complex microbiology concept of the mechanism of action of vaccines. We underscore the issue with conveying this concept through accurate visuals, supported by our research that revealed that less than 1% of cartoons available online accurately depict how vaccines work. The analogy we developed and showcase in this paper employs relatable characters: the virus as a robber, the immune system as a superhero, and the vaccine as a "most wanted" poster. The activities include a skit and storyboard session, enabling students to act out the analogy and create their own imaginative scenarios. By targeting young learners, this lesson aims to prevent long-standing misconceptions and empower future generations to make informed decisions about vaccination. Nuestra Ciencia offers a promising model for combating vaccine hesitancy and promoting public health through effective science communication.

Although vaccination requirements have been a mainstay of university admissions, the recent shift in vaccination and other preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 has been met with resistance. Reviewing the vaccination literature, there has been an apparent shift in support for university vaccinations, which is largely a result of the politicized climate surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a mixed-methods analysis, this study examines how type of institution and location variables affect public and private universities implementation of vaccination mandates and other preventative measures. Data indicate that, similar to other studies, politics matter and higher institutions are finding themselves at odds with state governments in which campus and community safety is not the primary concern.

Despite the proven effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing severe illness, many individuals, including older adults who are most susceptible to the virus, have opted against vaccination. Various factors could shape vaccination decisions, including seeking health information (HI). The internet is the primary source of HI today; however, older adults are often referred to as those missing out on digital benefits. The study explores the correlations between information and communication technology (ICT) use, online HI seeking, socioeconomic factors, and COVID-19 vaccination readiness among individuals aged 50 and above in Estonia. The survey data were gathered from 501 people aged 50 and older after the first lockdown in 2020. The outcomes revealed that vaccination readiness positively correlated with factors such as higher educational attainment, greater income, male gender, access to ICT, a readiness to employ digital technologies for health-related purposes, a greater demand for HI, and a higher frequency of seeking it online. There was some discrepancy in the preference of HI sources; for example, vaccination consenters preferred online versions of professional press publications and specific health portals. Based on the findings, it is advisable to encourage older adults to utilize the internet and new technology for health-related purposes. This practice expands the range of information sources available to them, ultimately enabling better decision-making regarding their health behaviors.

Although vaccine behaviors differ greatly by gender and age, few studies have examined vaccination at the intersection of gender and age within the Black community. We examined COVID-19 vaccination by gender and age using a survey of over 500 Black adults in Chicago, Illinois, fielded from September 2021 to March 2022. Although 54% had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine, the proportion vaccinated was considerably lower for Black men (28%) and women (37%) under 40 years old than Black men (92%) and women (86%) over 40 years (p < 0.001). Concern about vaccine side effects was the most reported barrier for unvaccinated women (56%) and men (38%) under 40 years. Our results suggest that targeted efforts to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the Black community in Chicago after the initial rollout should have focused on young adults, particularly young Black men, with emphasis on addressing concern about vaccine side effects.

This study aimed to understand vaccine hesitancy and confidence toward the COVID-19 vaccines among Latino adults in Arizona. Latinos (n = 71) aged 18 years or older who resided in Arizona participated in 14 focus groups between February and June 2021. Theoretical thematic analysis was used to examine drivers of these two behaviors, namely, vaccine hesitancy and confidence toward the COVID-19 vaccines, using the COM-B model, comprising capability, opportunity, and motivation factors that generate a behavior. Vaccine hesitancy stemmed from the need for vaccine information (capability factor) and fear of the vaccines, religious beliefs, and perceived barriers stemming from government mistrust (motivation factors). Vaccine confidence arose from trust in science and doctors (capability factor), and a fear of getting sick, protection against COVID-19, getting vaccinated as a civic duty, and a desire to return to normal life (motivation factors). The influence of opportunity factors, such as having access to vaccinations, were not discussed as contributing to vaccine confidence or hesitancy. As predicted by the COM-B model, factors reflecting capabilities and motivations contributed to vaccine hesitancy and confidence, all of which need to be considered in public health messaging. These factors can be targeted to facilitate efforts to promote vaccine uptake and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Vaccines are an essential public health resource for disease containment and reduction of associated mortality rates. With the emergence of COVID-19, public debates on the themes of vaccines and vaccination processes became important topics on diverse media and social networking platforms. In this article, our objective was to identify and reflect on the emotions evoked in the Brazilian public with respect to the COVID-19 vaccine during 2020 and 2021 on Facebook. To achieve this, we used the Crowdtangle graphical interface to extract complete copies of posts made by public Facebook profiles during this timeframe, from which a random sample of 1,067 posts was selected for analysis. Identification of emotions was performed using the Human-Machine Interaction Network on Emotion (HUMAINE) descriptors as a baseline reference. Emotions were then grouped into categories following Core Affect Model guidelines. Data analysis and interpretation indicated a prevalence of positive emotions such as trust, interest, and hope directed toward vaccines in the Brazilian domestic scenario. Negative emotions such as worry and disapproval were also expressed, albeit in reference to contextual issues (for example, the spread of COVID-19, delays in vaccine access, and the emergence of new variants) and public figures, such as the President of Brazil.

Background: While vaccines have reduced the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine hesitancy threatens the re-emergence of childhood infectious diseases. Purpose: This randomized controlled study evaluated an online vaccine education program to advance vaccine acceptance among middle-school students. Methodology: Study participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group who viewed the VEP videos or to a comparison group who viewed a science-based video unrelated to vaccines. Results: Knowledge scores improved in both groups and more favorable shifts in vaccine-related beliefs and attitudes occurred in the intervention than in the comparison group. Conclusions: This program can be feasibly delivered via an online platform to middle school students, resulting in shifts in vaccine-related knowledge, beliefs and attitudes. Implications: Delivering evidence-based content to instruct about vaccine effectiveness and safety is an area in which school nurses have demonstrated an important role as a resource for patient education to promote vaccine advocacy.

Research has shown a mixed relationship between education and vaccination rates. In the current analysis, we aimed to determine the relationship between educational level and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rates. We performed a cross-country analysis on data from 133 countries. Correlation analyses showed that higher and better education was associated with higher COVID-19 vaccination rates. When we performed the regression analysis including the education, health system, and economic development variables, education-COVID-19 vaccination relationships were mostly reversed. In particular, in wealthy countries, as the mean years of schooling decreased and the pupil-teacher ratio increased, COVID-19 vaccination rates increased. In less affluent countries, with greater education expenditures, COVID-19 vaccination rates decreased. We explain these contradictions by describing links between vaccination rates, life expectancy, and education-related variables. Our findings may aid in promoting more effective uptake of COVID-19 vaccination.

HPV vaccination rates remain below target levels among adolescents in the United States, which is particularly concerning in safety-net populations with persistent disparities in HPV-associated cancer burden. Perspectives on evidence-based strategies (EBS) for HPV vaccination among key implementation participants, internal and external to clinics, can provide a better understanding of why these disparities persist. We conducted virtual interviews and focus groups, guided by the Practice Change Model, with clinic members (providers, clinic leaders, and clinic staff) and community members (advocates, parents, policy-level, and payers) in Los Angeles and New Jersey to understand common and divergent perspectives on and experiences with HPV vaccination in safety-net primary care settings. Fifty-eight interviews and seven focus groups were conducted (n = 65 total). Clinic members (clinic leaders n = 7, providers n = 12, and clinic staff n = 6) revealed conflicting HPV vaccine messaging, lack of shared motivation to reduce missed opportunities and improve workflows, and non-operability between clinic electronic health records and state immunization registries created barriers for implementing effective strategies. Community members (advocates n = 8, policy n = 11, payers n = 8, and parents n = 13) described lack of HPV vaccine prioritization among payers, a reliance on advocates to lead national agenda setting and facilitate local implementation, and opportunities to support and engage schools in HPV vaccine messaging and adolescents in HPV vaccine decision-making. Participants indicated the COVID-19 pandemic complicated prioritization of HPV vaccination but also created opportunities for change. These findings highlight design and selection criteria for identifying and implementing EBS (changing the intervention itself, or practice-level resources versus external motivators) that bring internal and external clinic partners together for targeted approaches that account for local needs in improving HPV vaccine uptake within safety-net settings.

Immune literacy--the ability to hear, learn, read, write, explain, and discuss immunological content with varied audiences--has become critically important in recent years. Yet, with its complex terminology and discipline-specific concepts, educating individuals about the immune system and its role in health and disease may seem daunting. Here, we reflect on how to demystify the discipline and increase its accessibility for a broader audience. To address this, a working group of immunology educators from diverse institutions associated with the research coordination network, ImmunoReach, convened virtually. As a result of these discussions, we request a call to action for a system-level change and present a set of practical recommendations that novice and experienced educators from diverse institutions, professional societies, and policymakers may adopt to foster immune literacy in their classrooms and communities.

To better prepare undergraduate students as informed citizens, they need skills to evaluate and interpret scientific data that are relevant to real world scenarios. Socioscientific issues are typically complicated or debatable issues that require individuals to evaluate their background knowledge and make decisions with respect to social and cultural contexts. Incorporation of socioscientific issues into a course allows students opportunities to demonstrate their argumentation skills. In this study, we investigated the relationship between students' biological content knowledge and their argumentation skills. We evaluated students' content knowledge of primary research articles on mRNA vaccine development and clinical trials. There was no correlation of content knowledge and students' argumentation skills to counter vaccine hesitancy. While most students demonstrated understanding of the primary research articles, almost half the students did not include specific biological knowledge in their arguments, indicating they had difficulty in applying their knowledge to the real world. These results suggest there is a need to provide students with additional opportunities to practice and develop their argumentation skills with respect to socioscientific issues.

The 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic underlined a shift in attitudes against vaccines and a rise in hesitancy among some members of the population, despite the overwhelming evidence that vaccinations are one of the most successful and safe health interventions. Research has shown that vaccine hesitancy is complex and can result from an intersectionality of multiple factors. Research has also shown that to tackle vaccine hesitancy in the community, health care workers play a pivotal role, as they are trusted sources who can provide reliable information and can address vaccination concerns for the public. Unfortunately, health care workers are also susceptible to vaccine hesitancy. Thus, to curb these negative attitudes and doubts against vaccinations, we propose to improve vaccine competency among health science students, who are the future health workforce. Here, we propose a comprehensive pedagogical approach that aims to improve the vaccine literacy in this student population in two urban community colleges. The approach includes the use of high-impact pedagogical interventions to achieve three main objectives: (i) to teach students the nature and process of science to have them become "competent outsiders"; (ii) to enhance students' knowledge of the complex science behind emerging infectious diseases and vaccine action, adopting a learner-centered and concept-focused instructional design, and (iii) to address the social, cultural, and historical aspects of vaccine development and the historical and present inequities that characterize this health intervention.

This qualitative study analyzed pedagogical effects of multilayer mitigation in a Thai classroom. The triangulated data set were confidential, comprising teachers' voluntary anonymous information, pedagogical views and opinions, respectively. First, pupils' low absence rates enabled pedagogical focus on learning losses, which were mainly skills. The second effect was related to assessment. None of the teachers mentioned test results as learning loss indicators but regarded learning and qualified assessment as dynamic processes. An interesting dilemma was the learning loss measurements by non-pedagogical experts. Mostly those were presented as test scores, working hour counts, or annual formalities. However, optimized learning strategies' research had existed for decades, being responded better by these pupils. The third effect was the improved resilience of pupils and caretakers. Initially worried parents turned relieved. Resilience fostered the intrinsic motivation of all. When compared to some countries, firmer resilience made the difference in learning loss endurance for this group. "All-inclusive" mitigation had given families meaningful support. They shared visions of community roles, mediated by teachers and school management. The latter were backed by epidemiologists and medical experts. Further studies should discuss schools in a longer timeframe. External, quantified test scores without in-depth pedagogical analyses seem outdated by the early fourth pandemic year.

Service-learning models serve as noteworthy curriculum paradigms that can help students engage with their communities while continuously learning. This article recounts the implementation of a service-learning model within a student initiative aimed to help combat vaccine hesitancy and promote the uptake of vaccinations within the Rhode Island community. Through a collaborative effort between students, faculty, and the university, the student initiative was able to construct a credit-bearing course to help assess and alleviate vaccine hesitancy within Rhode Island. This article highlights the journey the organization took to develop a service-learning model within the course, the project details, and the impact of their project on the community. A detailed analysis of the service-learning model's impact on students as well as key takeaways of the project are also highlighted below.

Purpose: This study was driven by the interest of public health students in learning how COVID-19 has impacted student life. Specifically examined were students' experiences and preferences with modes of education during the pandemic, influence of COVID on students' mental and physical health, impact on employment and future careers, and thoughts on vaccinations and mask mandates. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected through survey research. A total of 375 students at a mid-size liberal arts institution on the east coast participated. Results: Data indicates above average attitudes towards mask and vaccination mandates, slightly higher level of agreement of vaccination's efficacy, but a lower-than-average agreement that legal action should be taken for those out of compliance. Politics and social media play a role in people's knowledge and attitudes related to COVID. Data also reveals that majority reported their GPA remained the same and that students took three times the number of courses on-line as face-to-face, but preferred face-to face more than on-line. Descriptive statistics reveal students are more satisfied with their face-to-face courses than on-line, and distractions with on-line courses were fairly high. Students reported a fairly high level when asked if COVID impacted their education negatively. Additionally, students reported COVID impacted their mental health but not necessarily their physical health. For employed students, less than one-fifth had opportunities to work at home, while the majority did not work from home. Participants neither agree nor disagree that COVID impacted future career decisions. Conclusion: Implications, limitations, and future research are addressed at the conclusion of the study.

There is evidence that education levels have an impact on people's attitudes toward vaccination. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to maximize vaccinations - one of the most efficient ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Young individuals play a major role in disease transmission due to their intense social life and frequent asymptomatic infections. In this study, a survey of upper secondary school students in Poland was conducted to assess their microbiological awareness depending on subjects that they studied on the extended level and COVID-19 vaccination willingness. Participants learning biology and chemistry on the extended level had significantly higher microbiological awareness. Clear proof of microbiological awareness's influence on vaccination willingness was not found. Although studying biology did not significantly influence students' willingness to be vaccinated, their place of residence did. Students from bigger cities were more willing to get vaccinated. These results show that while science education raises microbiological awareness among upper secondary school students, place of residence, likely through social pressure, is a more important factor influencing vaccination willingness. It is suggested that more effort should be put into educating society as a whole and encouraging vaccination particularly.

This study aimed to investigate how pre-service teachers' intentions to vaccinate against COVID-19 were related to their perceptions of the causes of COVID-19, which are conspiracy thoughts, perceptions of environmental and faith factors, trust in scientists, and risk perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccines. In this study, a cross-sectional survey research method was used and an online questionnaire was administered to 434 Turkish pre-service teachers from 19 different universities in Türkiye. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict pre-service teachers' vaccination intentions and two multinomial logit models were evaluated. The results indicated that most pre-service teachers had a positive intention to vaccinate against COVID-19. Pre-service teachers with lower risk perceptions about COVID-19 vaccination and scores on conspiracy thoughts, and higher scores on perceptions of environmental factors about COVID-19 vaccination were more likely to have a positive intention of getting COVID-19 vaccination. However, trust in scientists and faith did not have significant relationships with the intention of getting COVID-19 vaccination. Based on our findings we suggest paying attention to increasing environmental perceptions of pre-service teachers, decreasing their beliefs in conspiracy theories and risk perceptions, and increasing trust in scientists, which are believed to contribute to the development of teacher education programs that would more likely equip teacher candidates with features necessary for dealing with global challenges in the world.

To see the reflections of scientific literacy in individuals' daily life manners is one of the most significant objectives of science education. In this context, it is thought that science teacher candidates are required to have the skills of socio-scientific issues and writing arguments on those subjects. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess science teacher candidates' skills of writing argumentation on COVID-19 pandemic, which is a socio-scientific issue, and discuss their opinions on COVID-19 vaccine. The research was designed by using mixed method case study. The study group of the research consisted of 33 teacher candidates who were second grade students enrolled in the department of science teaching in a state university in Istanbul. The data in this study were gathered via "Written Argumentation Form" in accordance with argumentation writing components of Cope et al. (2013). For the opinions of teacher candidates on COVID-19 vaccine, "Interview Form" including two open-end questions was used. In data analysis, Argumentation Assessment Rubric (AAR) was used for argumentation and for opinions related to the vaccine, content analysis was applied. At the end of the research, it was found out that the teachers were successful in terms of creating "argument" and "result argument" while writing argumentation of which subject is socio-scientific, however they could not refute the counter claims adequately. Even though the teacher candidates approached COVID-19 pandemic scientifically in the arguments, it was found out that they had hesitations about how to behave in COVID-19 pandemic considering their opinions on vaccines. Although the teacher candidates thought that it was a real pandemic and follow vaccine studies closely, vast majority stated that they did not want to be vaccinated or they were undecided about it. It is recommended to examine thoroughly the fact that even though the vast majority of the teacher candidates thought pandemic was real, they had different opinions on vaccines.

COVID-19, which affects the world, undoubtedly seems to have affected university students who receive applied education. Sports Science students continue their sports training within the mask and distance rules by switching to face-to-face teaching during the normalization period. This study aimed to reveal whether the physical activity levels of Sports Science students were affected by Coronavirus-19 phobia after switching to face-to-face training. 432 (female; 152, male; 280) university students from Sports Sciences attended the research. Data from the participants were collected using the Coronavirus-19 Phobia Scale and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). The independent sample and Mann-Whitney U test, One-Way, and two-way ANOVA test (Post hoc Tukey) were used in the data analysis. According to the results, the 'psychological' sub-dimension scores of the participants, an increase in body mass index, not doing sports, reducing the vaccine dose, spending COVID-19 in the hospital, and wearing a mask in practical classes increase. In addition, those who wear masks in applied lessons have higher 'somatic,' 'social,' and 'economic' sub-dimension scores. Females' coronavirus-19 phobia, 'psychological' and 'economic' sub-dimensions, and total scale scores are higher than males. Consequently, with the increased physical activity levels of Sports Science students, coronavirus-19 decreases phobia scores.

Purpose: This study aims to explore scientific discourses on vaccination in YouTube comments using the Connectivism theory as a foundational guide in the inquiry of understanding knowledge seeking and sharing. The authors sought to understand how individuals share and seek information by using external sources through URL links to validate their arguments. Design/methodology/approach: Using content analysis, the authors extracted and analysed 584 random comments with URL links from eight YouTube videos scientifically addressing the purpose of vaccines. The comments were coded by stance (pro, anti, and neutral) and the type of resource to observe how their links were used. Findings: The results showed that URL links were composed of quotes, questions, and opinions. Many sources came from research papers, conspiracy websites, or other videos. Some of the comments did not accurately reflect the information from research papers and showed little scientific reasoning. This suggests the need for critical evaluation among individuals when finding information online. Research limitations/implications: The findings can be expanded to explore different types of information literacy practices in the comment section of social media for both informal and formal environments. Practical implications: YouTube is useful in fostering scientific discourse and information-seeking/sharing practices among individuals. However, considering the inaccuracy of content deliverance, educators and individuals will need to consider how to teach/conduct information literacy skills when implementing social media for educational purposes. Originality/value: Only a few studies have conducted research on comments using URL links, the originality of sources and how the sources were used in argumentation.

COVID-19 vaccination rates remain lower among adolescents compared with adults. Youth participatory action research (YPAR) offers opportunities to inform youth vaccine communication at the local and population level. However, few studies have integrated systematic health communication research with YPAR. In the current study, a diverse team of paid high school interns, undergraduate student mentors and communication researchers in West Philadelphia YPAR programs developed a theory-informed communication survey to measure teen COVID-19 vaccine beliefs, information sources and behavior. The survey was distributed locally and informed youth-created vaccine campaign messages. In addition, YPAR-derived survey measures complimented a qualitative online elicitation survey with US young adults. Responses were coded using inductive content analysis, informing measures for a subsequent population-level study of young adults. This research followed protocols approved by an Institutional Review Board. Applying a YPAR framework elevated youth voices in the study development process. Communication theory and methods aided the development of survey studies to advance both local YPAR program objectives and population-level research. Future implications are discussed.

Background: HPV is associated with several cancers, yet HPV vaccine uptake rates remain suboptimal. Enhancing HPV vaccine promotion requires looking beyond individual characteristics and conducting a thorough evaluation of how health-related and health system factors may influence HPV vaccine uptake. Purpose: Our study explores the relationship of health-related and health-system factors with patient-centered communication, HPV-related knowledge, and perceived effectiveness of the HPV vaccine. Methods: We used data from HINTS 5, Cycle 1, and performed structural equation modeling to explore the impact of health-related and health system factors on perceived HPV vaccine effectiveness, both directly and via HPV knowledge and patient-centered communication. The predictors in our model included health-related factors and health-system factors. Results: Findings suggest a direct relationship between HPV knowledge and perceived vaccine effectiveness ([beta] = 0.73; p < 0.05), and patient-centered communication and perceived vaccine effectiveness ([beta] = 0.07; p < 0.05). Frequency of doctor visits directly and negatively predicted patient-centered communication ([beta] = -0.04, p < 0.05). Self-reported health status was directly and positively related to HPV vaccine acceptability ([beta] = 0.147, p < 0.05). Having a chronic condition ([beta] = -0.09, p =< 0.05) and depression/anxiety ([beta] = 0.141, p < 0.05) was related to HPV vaccine acceptability, via knowledge. Discussion: These findings enhance our nuanced understanding of the intricate interplay between health-related and health-system factors in shaping perceptions and attitudes toward HPV vaccination. Translation to Health Education Practice: Accounting for health-related and health system factors is essential for effective dissemination of HPV information.

The aim of this paper is to propose an original analysis of the association between social status and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines regarding upper-secondary students in Italy. The research was conducted by administering an online survey on a probabilistic and stratified sample of 5,699 students, in the spring of 2021, when the vaccination campaign in Italy had been underway for only a few months. Following the bourdieusian perspective, we have used a multiple correspondence analysis to examine the polarization between pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine groups as the clash of stances that agents take in accordance with their position in the cultural field. Our results suggest that the construction of a negative school experience by the subordinate classes is the source of a lack of social recognition in the cultural field, which feeds an aversion to everything the main institutions in this field recommend should be done.

Objective: This study examines Chinese international students' underlying beliefs and overall perception of the flu vaccination to inform effective health promotion efforts on U.S. college campuses. Participants: Data were collected in March 2020. Participants (N = 189) were recruited via email at a southeastern university in the U.S. Methods: Incorporating theory recommendations and recent vaccine-related research findings, this study designs a Four-Factor Measurement Model through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine Chinese international students' perception of flu vaccination. Results: Chinese international students' health beliefs, particularly their perceived susceptibility of the influenza virus, was the most important factor to explain their perception of flu vaccination. While normative beliefs were the least influential factor to account for Chinese international students' perception of flu vaccination, these students valued healthcare providers' opinions immensely. Conclusions: This study suggests the Four-Factor Measurement Model will help measure Chinese international students' perception of flu vaccination and can be applied to future vaccine-related research.

Objective: We investigated the preliminary efficacy of a tailored human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination on-line intervention designed to increase HPV vaccination intention. Participants: Female college students (N = 101; 18-26 years), who have not received the HPV vaccine. Methods: Participants were randomized to either a control group to read standard Center for Disease Control information or a narrative intervention group to read two narrative messages about HPV/HPV vaccination that were tailored based on the individual's sexual history and told from the perspectives from a peer and an expert. Participants were assessed at baseline (T1) and immediately after the intervention (T2). Results: The narrative intervention group reported a greater increase from T1 to T2 in vaccination intention compared with control group. Both groups reported increases in knowledge, positive attitude, self-efficacy, social norm, and perceived susceptibility to HPV from T1 to T2. Conclusions: A narrative intervention is promising to effectively increase HPV vaccination intention.

This paper presents an analysis of the socio-scientific dimensions which 46 11th graders, enrolled in the subject scientific culture, consider to justify their COVID-19 vaccination decision and how they managed to combine and integrate these dimensions before and after working on a sequence of activities aimed at learning about argumentation in science. Although almost all the students intended to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the results show that before the sequence, they used one or two dimensions to justify their decision, while after it, some combined up to five dimensions. The ethical and social-cultural dimensions were two of the most frequently used. The scientific dimension was infrequent in the initial argument but was, however, the most used dimension in the final argument, after the intervention. Working on socioscientific issues encourages the development of argumentation skills, and, in this specific case, health education skills as well.

Objective: Health behavior research suggests that perceived social norms impact health decisions. This study aimed to (a) examine reasons for vaccine hesitancy among a sample of college students compared to a clinical sample (b) examine the accuracy of perceptions of others' receptivity and intention to seek out the COVID-19 vaccine, and (c) determine whether greater self-other normative discrepancies (SODs) were associated with increased likelihood to seek out the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants: Participants included 227 students at a Northeastern private college and 140 patients seeking medical care. Methods: College students completed an online, anonymous survey. Patients completed a paper-and-pencil survey distributed at appointment check-in. Results: Compared to their perceptions of others, participants had more positive beliefs about vaccines. The most common reason prompting individuals to seek out the vaccine was to return to "normal life." Conclusions: Future research might examine use of social norms interventions to decrease vaccine hesitancy.

The purpose of the study was to explore characteristics of vaccine hesitancy and behaviors among college students with disabilities. Participants and Methods: Participants consisted of 105 college students with disabilities (M[subscript age]=26.82, SD = 8.42), and a majority of participants were female (69.5%) and Hispanic (85%). Results: No demographic differences were observed in vaccine hesitancy scores in this sample. Those who do not know where to get reliable information about COVID-19 vaccination had higher scores on vaccine hesitancy than those who know how to obtain reliable information; and participants who had a negative experience with a previous vaccination also had higher scores of vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, findings demonstrated COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scores were negatively associated with openness to experience personality trait and COVID-19-related perceived stress. Conclusions: Implications provide additional insight into factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among college students with disabilities.

To examine mental health status, COVID-19 vaccine intention and barriers among college students in the U.S. Participants: Students (n = 337) registered at a large public university in 2021. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data were collected online and analyzed using independent samples t test, chi-square test, and one-way ANOVA. Results: Compared to male students, females reported greater anxiety (p < 0.05) and fear (p < 0.01). Hispanic participants reported increased anxiety level and the least positive pandemic coping strategies (both p < 0.05) across the ethnic groups. Black students were the racial group with the lowest trust in the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine (p < 0.05). Vaccine intention was positively correlated with factors such as vaccine safety measures, and perceptions toward vaccination (both p < 0.001). Conclusions: These gender- and ethnicity- based mental health struggles should be addressed immediately for better health and vaccine promotion outcomes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To explore whether/how the willingness of Chinese college students to receive the influenza vaccines in the sample is affected by different information channels. Participants: Two hundred and four volunteers were recruited to participate in an anonymous online survey. All participants were college students, mainly undergraduates (81.86%), with a higher proportion of women (56.86%). Methods: Participants answered anonymous questionnaires through the website, including demographic data (age, gender, education, etc.), media exposure channels and frequency, views and attitudes toward influenza vaccines, etc. An ordered logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the effects of different information sources on influenza vaccination among college students. Results: Exposure to traditional media, digital media, and interpersonal communication promotes college students' understanding of influenza vaccines. Exposure to digital media alleviates college students' hesitation to vaccinate, while interpersonal interaction and digital media exposure promote college students' willingness to vaccinate. Conclusions: Digital media is increasingly important in the lives of Chinese college students to promote healthy behaviors such as influenza vaccinations.

Objective: The Theory of Planned Behavior has been applied to COVID-19 protective behaviors, but evidence suggests this theory may be less predictive over time and less valid in individualistic societies. The current study applied this theory among American college students as vaccines became available and added perceived risk. Participants: 242 undergraduate students at two universities. Methods: Participants completed an online survey and analyses were conducted using PROCESS. Results: Perceived risk was indirectly related to protective behavior via intentions which were significantly impacted by positive attitudes, descriptive norms, and perceived behavioral control. Conclusions: Even within an individualistic culture and when vaccines were becoming available, the Theory of Planned Behavior predicts protective behaviors. Including risk perception also furthers understanding of this theory by identifying one factor related to norms and perceived behavioral control. These results may inform the design of interventions designed to increase compliance with pandemic-related policies and other positive behaviors.

Purpose: Teacher roles and classroom discourses have great influence on classroom discussions within the context of socio-scientific issues. Investigation of teacher roles and classroom discourses is of great importance in the construction of the classroom environment in which students can support their views and the reasons underlying their views through scientific data in cases such as Covid-19 requiring decision-making at community level. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the roles adopted by science teachers in bringing the socio-scientific issue of Covid-19 vaccine into their classrooms and whether the communicative approach they employed and the teacher roles they adopted complied with the discourses they drew on in their classes. Methods: The study employed the case study design, one of the qualitative research methods and the study group was comprised of three science teachers and the students in their classes. As the data sources, video-recordings of the teachers' lessons and the vignettes related to the roles adopted by the teachers in addressing socio-scientific issues were used. The similarities and differences between the roles adopted by the teachers and the discourses used by them were examined and the communicative approach used by the teachers in their lessons was analyzed through discourse analysis. Results and conclusions: It was found that the reasons proposed by the three science teachers to explain why they adopted these roles complied with their discourses used in the classes. It was observed that the more experienced teachers offered more opportunities for their students to talk in their classes (used dialogical discourse) and that the roles adopted by all the teachers and the discourses used by them in their classes were consistent with each other. Students are required to speak scientifically and actively participate in science lessons. However, the teacher's role in the classroom environment, classroom interactions, and the quality of this interaction are very important for this.

On college campuses, effective management of vaccine-preventable transmissible pathogens requires understanding student vaccination intentions. This is necessary for developing and tailoring health messaging to maximize uptake of health information and vaccines. The current study explored students' beliefs and attitudes about vaccines in general, and the new COVID-19 vaccines specifically. This study provides insights into effective health messaging needed to rapidly increase COVID-19 vaccination on college campuses--information that will continue to be informative in future academic years across a broad scope of pathogens. Data were collected from 696 undergraduate students ages 18-29 years old enrolled in a large public university in the Northeast during fall 2020. Data were collected via an online survey. Overall, we found COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in college students correlated strongly with some concerns about vaccines in general as well as with concerns specific to COVID-19 vaccines. Taken together, these results provide further insight for message development and delivery and can inform more effective interventions to advance critical public health outcomes on college campuses beyond the current pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of a multifaceted public health approach. Promoting health literacy and safe behaviour to reduce disease spread can be an effective social vaccine. However, the role of science teachers as part of a social vaccine is unclear. Similarly, their responses to health crises and the factors affecting such responses are poorly understood. We investigated the relationship between the COVID-19 vaccination status and the reliance on different sources of information among pre-service science teachers from South African and Indonesian universities as a preliminary effort to understand the role that teachers could play in promoting health literacy and safe behavioural practices. We conducted a survey using a comparative quantitative approach to gather data from 87 South African and 93 Indonesian pre-service science teachers through a closed-ended questionnaire. Different statistical tests were performed using SPSS to analyse the data, including the Mann-Whitney U test, Levene's test for equality of variance, t-test, regression analysis and analysis of variance. The results show that South African pre-service science teachers reported a lower COVID-19 vaccine uptake than Indonesians. Both sets of participants rely on social media, research articles, textbooks and friends and family to learn about COVID-19. However, reliance on these sources is not significantly associated with vaccination status. We conclude that contextual factors may affect vaccination status. We recommend further research into science teachers' role in promoting health literacy and safe behavioural practices to reduce the spread of diseases. We also recommend using social media to share scientific information for health education.

The aim of this study was to explore: 1) how religious education (RE) contributed to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Christian students in Nigeria; and 2) how RE could be used to counter vaccine hesitancy among students in Nigeria. Although progress has been made in examining different aspects of the coronavirus vaccine hesitancy in Nigeria, literature has yet to focus on how RE contributed to vaccine hesitancy among students in Nigeria. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 students in primary and secondary schools and analysed thematically. Emerged themes included: (1) the apocalypse; (2) dehumanisation by vaccine; (3) 666 ('the mark of the beast'); (4) shortening of the lifespan; and (5) Separating personal beliefs from class studies. Findings reveal that vaccine hesitancy becomes a product of the type of RE young people receive in school, especially in primary and secondary schools. As a country with one of the lowest rates of vaccinated individuals, the findings point to the need to adjust the perspective that RE has on vaccines.

Background: Despite the overwhelming benefits of vaccinations, suboptimal public confidence in vaccines keeps immunization rates in the U.S far from ideal levels. Purpose: To assess the efficacy of a high school video set curriculum, on vaccine history, science, and safety, in improving vaccine knowledge. Methods: Sample included high school students in Virginia, who had completed required biology coursework. After being assigned to either the control or experimental group, their knowledge on vaccines was assessed before and after viewing the curriculum videos. Results: Experimental group students showed greater knowledge increases after viewing the videos. Examined by individual question, twelve out of eighteen questions in the experimental group had significant improvement in accuracy/knowledge, compared to one out of eighteen among the controls. Discussion: Our study demonstrates the value of using videos to convey vaccine-related knowledge to high schoolers. This knowledge can favorably impact rates of acute infectious disease as well as chronic conditions such as polio, cervical cancer, and long COVID syndrome. Translation to Health Education Practice: Such educational videos may be integrated into the state curricula so high school students can understand the impact, safety, and efficacy of vaccines and make informed public health decisions as adults.

Background: For college students who are exposed to multimedia, the sources of COVID-19 vaccine information and their trust in these sources may play a role in shaping the vaccine acceptance spectrum (refusal, hesitancy, and acceptance). Methods: Based on an online survey among 1,062 college students in South Carolina, we investigated vaccine information sources among college students and examined how COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was associated with information source and trust level in each source. Results: The top three sources of COVID-19 vaccine information were health agencies, mass media, and personal social networks. Trust in mass media, health agencies, scientists, and pharmaceutical companies was negatively associated with vaccine refusal. Trust in government and scientists was negatively associated with vaccine hesitancy. Discussion: Our findings highlight the importance of restoring trust in government, healthcare system, scientists, and pharmaceutical industries in the COVID-19 era.

Objective: To evaluate college students' awareness of an educational initiative to increase campus influenza vaccination rates and strategies to improve it. Participants: Students attending a large public comprehensive university. Methods: An investigator-developed, online survey evaluated awareness of the initiative, the students' perception of incentives, and other motivations to receive seasonal influenza vaccine. Results: The vaccination rate was 43%, despite low awareness of the initiative (28%). Awareness was significantly higher among vaccinated students (p = 0.0013). Having knowledge that appointments to receive vaccine were not needed increased the motivation of vaccinated students more than unvaccinated students (p = 0.0001). Personal influencers increased motivation of vaccinated students only when they were aware of the initiative (p = 0.04). Tangible incentives did not motivate students. Conclusions: Campus vaccination rates increased despite low initiative awareness. Improvements to the initiative should include strategies to increase emphasis on vaccination program conveniences like accessibility and perhaps engage personal influencers more.