Knowledge and training of Italian students in Healthcare Settings on COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination strategies, one year after the immunization campaign

Introduction. COVID-19 vaccines represent an important opportunity for defeating the disease, as long as high vaccination acceptance rates are achieved. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have a relevant role in the promotion of immunization among the population and since students in healthcare area will be HCWs it is crucial to provide more in-depth knowledge on vaccinations. Therefore, the aim of the study is to assess the knowledge of medical and pharmaceutical area students regarding COVID-19 vaccination and the impact of a specific Elective Teaching Activity (ETA) on the increase of students’ knowledge. The ETA was held one year after the immunization campaign in Italy. Methods. Students’ knowledge was tested with a questionnaire before and after attending the course. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyse the results obtained. Student’s t-tests for paired data were used. Results. Overall, 387 students at the University of Florence attended the course and took the same test before and after the ETA on COVID-19 vaccines. Despite achieving satisfactory average scores in the pre-course test (26/32 ± 4.0), all students were able to significantly enhance their final score (+17.1%; p < 0.001), indicating that the ETA was highly effective in improving their knowledge of COVID-19 vaccination. Medical students demonstrated a better comprehension of the role of the medical specialist in public health in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, while some uncertainties were revealed regarding the role of pharmacists. Conclusions. The results of this study confirm that specific training activities on vaccination are effective for implementing the knowledge of future health professionals.