Vaccination against influenza among medical students of selected Medical Universities in Poland in the 2014/2015 influenza season

Vaccinations against influenza are one of the most beneficial elements of prevention. Adoption of measures to popularize vaccination among reluctant to be vaccinated against influenza Polish population, especially in the environment of future doctors should be one of the priorities in the universities. The article analyzes the level of basic knowledge, opinions and declared behaviors related to influenza and its prevention among medical students of selected Medical University in Poland. The study included 1,031 individuals during the 2014/2015 epidemic. It represented a diverse population of sex, age, place of residence. For the purpose of the research an original questionnaire was used. The results were subjected to statistical analysis, which reveals that only 76 individuals got inoculated against influenza, which accounted for only 7.37% of the study population of students studying in various academic centers in Poland. Analysis of own research shows that regularly over the last five influenza seasons only 70 individuals (6.79%) have got inoculated, while the vast majority – 72.45% of the population did not get inoculated at all, and 20.75% occasionally declared inoculation against the influenza. Despite seasonal influenza epidemics, undertaken educational and preventive tests among vulnerable group rather a pessimistic picture emerges of the Polish population.