Adeline Obengwaa Adjei | 2026 I.S. Symposium
Name: Adeline Obengwaa Adjei
Title: Shots, Science and Skepticism: Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among College Students
Major: Biology
惭颈苍辞谤:听Religious Studies
Pathway: Public Health
Advisor: Sharon Lynn
Vaccine hesitancy is an ongoing public health concern that gained increased attention during the COVID -19 pandemic. This concern was particularly true among college students because their communal living can increase the spread of infectious diseases. In this study, I examined factors that may influence COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, including biological knowledge, perceived risk of COVID-19, social influences, and trust in information sources, among students at the College of 黑料社(COW). To investigate this, an anonymous cross-sectional survey was distributed in the Fall of 2025 to all COW students aged eighteen or older. Survey questions measured demographic characteristics, perceptions of vaccine safety, knowledge about vaccines, trust in information sources, and vaccination status. Results showed that perceptions of vaccine safety and prior COVID-19 infection were the strongest predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy also appeared higher when measured through willingness to receive a booster compared with initial vaccination status. This project was particularly interesting because college students represent a unique demographic that is less frequently studied but highly relevant to our understanding of disease prevention and policy development, especially for future public health planning. Future studies could compare student vaccine attitudes to the broader community and or expand this study to a larger university.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
