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<p>India’s Universal Immunization Programme has largely focused on early childhood vaccinations. Studies investigating adolescents’ perceptions about vaccination and vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) are limited. This study addresses this significant knowledge gap in post-COVID India. Sixteen students from diverse socio-economic strata (SES) in grades 9–12 were interviewed to ascertain their knowledge and attitudes regarding vaccinations and VPDs. We focused on understanding vaccination information sources and decision-making among higher-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted just after vaccinations were introduced in India for children aged 12–18 in a phased manner. While most students had taken the COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine awareness varied significantly. Students expressed high trust in their science teachers; however, they preferred media sources over school for vaccination information, since they felt school textbooks provided little useful information on vaccination. They evaluated media sources based on “trust” and the “authority” of the information provider. Many students perceived themselves as less informed and less capable decision-makers than their parents, and relied on them for vaccination decisions. Our observations provide timely insights into the COVID-19 experiences and concerns of adolescent students, especially considering recent Indian government guidelines on introducing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for teenagers. The study underscores the importance of science education in ensuring students connect with the scientific background about vaccines and shaping their understanding of individual and public health. This is particularly crucial in the post-truth era where students are vulnerable to vaccine-related misinformation and disinformation.</p>

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Vaccination Information Sources and Decision-Making Among Higher-Secondary Students in India During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月31日

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  • Anupama Souri Das,
  • Sandhya Koushika,
  • Gauravi A. Mishra,
  • Arnab Bhattacharya

摘要

India’s Universal Immunization Programme has largely focused on early childhood vaccinations. Studies investigating adolescents’ perceptions about vaccination and vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) are limited. This study addresses this significant knowledge gap in post-COVID India. Sixteen students from diverse socio-economic strata (SES) in grades 9–12 were interviewed to ascertain their knowledge and attitudes regarding vaccinations and VPDs. We focused on understanding vaccination information sources and decision-making among higher-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted just after vaccinations were introduced in India for children aged 12–18 in a phased manner. While most students had taken the COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine awareness varied significantly. Students expressed high trust in their science teachers; however, they preferred media sources over school for vaccination information, since they felt school textbooks provided little useful information on vaccination. They evaluated media sources based on “trust” and the “authority” of the information provider. Many students perceived themselves as less informed and less capable decision-makers than their parents, and relied on them for vaccination decisions. Our observations provide timely insights into the COVID-19 experiences and concerns of adolescent students, especially considering recent Indian government guidelines on introducing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for teenagers. The study underscores the importance of science education in ensuring students connect with the scientific background about vaccines and shaping their understanding of individual and public health. This is particularly crucial in the post-truth era where students are vulnerable to vaccine-related misinformation and disinformation.