What motivates college students to get the flu shot? Sometimes, it's as little as $10
- Date:
- October 23, 2014
- Source:
- Swarthmore College
- Summary:
- The preliminary findings from a new study indicates that a combination of financial incentives – even as little as $10 – and an endorsement from close friends might by the best way to increase flu vaccinations among college students.
- Share:
Every college student knows that getting sick while at school will have negative effects on their grades and social life. So then why do so many students forgo flu vaccinations that are readily available at almost every college health center?
With the help of a $100,000 grant from the Donaghue Foundation in cooperation with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Swarthmore College Professor of Economics Ellen Magenheim, Assistant Professor of Economics Erin Todd Bronchetti, and former colleague David Huffman conducted a large-scale study among nearly 10,000 students on six Philadelphia-area college campuses.
Their preliminary findings concluded that while there are many significant barriers that prevent many college students from getting the flu vaccine, a combination of financial incentives -- even as little as $10 -- and an endorsement from close friends might by the best way to increase flu vaccinations.
The study showed that students offered as little as $10 were twice as likely to get a flu vaccination, while email and social media messages delivered from peers were significantly more successful at relaying the benefits of the vaccine to fellow students.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Swarthmore College. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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