Work

Navigating health information: Factors influencing vaccine decision-making and health information access in emerging adults at a no-cost vaccine clinic

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objective To assess healthcare decision-making and influences among emerging adults and explore health information access, knowledge, and communication.Participants 687 participants were recruited at two no-cost on-campus vaccine clinics offered at a large Midwestern university in September and October 2023 (Age Range = 18–25, 61.1% women).Methods Participants completed an online survey. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for the variables of interest. Differences by gender were compared using chi-square and t-tests.Results Most participants (n = 592, 86.2%) had access to their vaccine records. However, a higher percentage of men (30.7%) than women (23.4%) reported difficulty accessing their records (p = 0.037). The majority of participants (65.1%) informed their parents about their vaccination. More women (81.8%) than men (66.9%) informed a friend (p < 0.001), while more men (23.0%) than women (15.1%) did not inform anyone (p = 0.046).Conclusions Findings highlight social influences, no-cost clinics, and gender-targeted interventions to improve healthcare access and outcomes.

Source: Journal of American College Health

DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2025.2542408