Last update:
15-Jul-2026

OBJECTIVE To assess the immunity status of nursing students at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) against vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs).

METHOD A cross-sectional anonymous study was conducted between June and July 2024 among nursing students of NKUA. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire specifically designed for this study. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed, and the Chi-square (x²) test was used to explore associations between gender, year of study, and vaccination outcomes.

RESULTS A total of 152 students participated. Full vaccination coverage was 38.8% for hepatitis B, 33.6% for hepatitis A, 55.3% for MMR, 35.5% for varicella, 45.4% for HPV, 75% for COVID-19, and 19.1% for influenza. Only 25.7% had received a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis booster in the past decade. The hepatitis B antibody test was significantly associated with the year of study (p=0.040), while protective anti-HBs titers (≥10 IU/L) did not differ by gender (p=0.366) or year (p=0.648). HPV vaccination was associated with gender, as expected given that the majority of nursing students were female. COVID-19 vaccination was associated with the year of study, with third-year students showing the highest vaccination rates (p=0.016).

CONCLUSIONS The findings reveal suboptimal vaccination coverage among nursing students, highlighting the need for a comprehensive vaccination program tailored to healthcare students. Such a program should include targeted training and awareness initiatives, individualized counselling on VPDs, anonymous collection of vaccination data to ensure accurate coverage monitoring, on-site vaccination, and free-of-charge anti-HBs test.

Key words: Immunization, Nursing students, Preventable diseases, Vaccination.