EXPLORING HEALTH LITERACY AND VACCINE ATTITUDES AMONG STUDENTS 50+ YEARS OF AGE AT REFRESHMENT UNIVERSITY

Background The effect of health literacy on individuals' attitudes towards vaccination is a critical issue. This study examines the health literacy and general attitudes towards vaccination of students aged 50 years and above. Material and methods A survey was administered to 360 respondents aged 50 years and above who were studying at Akdeniz University ( Türkiye), Refreshment University. The health literacy scale and general vaccine attitudes scale were used in this study with a descriptive and cross-sectional research design. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analyses were used for analysis of the data. Results The research results revealed that health literacy (79.2%) was high and that attitudes toward vaccines were moderate (52.6%). Statistically significant differences were detected in terms of vaccine attitudes and age, gender, marital status, education, and satisfaction with health workers. An unexpected negative relationship was found between health literacy and vaccine attitudes. Conclusions Accurate information, adequate health communication, and a participatory approach to reduce psychological resistance should be provided to eliminate vaccine hesitancy and increase confidence in vaccination. The effectiveness of health literacy programs should be increased, and other factors should be examined in depth.