Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Adult Vaccination Among Medical Students in Western India.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Immunization is one of the most effective public health interventions, significantly reducing morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases worldwide. While childhood vaccination programs are well-established, adult immunization remains underutilized, particularly in developing countries like India. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), along with beliefs, misconceptions, and barriers related to adult vaccination among medical students in Western Rajasthan, specifically at Government Medical College, Pali, and to examine their association with selected socio-demographic factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 575 undergraduate medical students at a tertiary care center using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling, and data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS

Overall, 69.6% of participants were aware of the adult vaccination schedule. Knowledge was higher for commonly administered vaccines, such as COVID-19 (96.5%) and hepatitis B (92.3%), but lower for newer vaccines, such as monkeypox (56.5%) and respiratory syncytial virus (55.1%). Attitudes were largely favorable, with 98.6% recognizing the importance of adult vaccination and 94.4% supporting its inclusion in national programs. However, misconceptions were widespread, with 72.7% believing vaccines may cause serious complications. Although all participants reported receiving at least one vaccine after 18 years (primarily COVID-19), only 61.6% were willing to receive adult vaccines, indicating a gap between knowledge and practice. Lack of awareness and fear of side effects were the most commonly reported barriers.

CONCLUSION

Despite moderate knowledge and positive attitudes, significant misconceptions and gaps in uptake persist among medical students. Targeted educational interventions and strengthened curriculum integration are needed to improve vaccine literacy and acceptance. Findings are limited by a single-center design, convenience sampling, and self-reported data.