ASSESSMENT OF ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS FOLLOWING COVID-19 VACCINATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE HEALTHCARE STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
TL;DR
The results suggest that COVID-19 vaccination had a favorable safety profile among undergraduate healthcare students, and the reported adverse events were predominantly minor, resolved within a short period, and generally required no specific intervention.
Abstract
Objective: The present investigation aimed to examine adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported after COVID-19 vaccination among undergraduate healthcare students. It also evaluated the occurrence, clinical characteristics, and duration of adverse events experienced following immunization. Methods: A questionnaire-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate healthcare students of Gyani Inder Singh Institute of Professional Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. A structured questionnaire consisting of 14 close-ended questions was used to collect demographic information, vaccination status, type of vaccine received, occurrence of adverse reactions, symptom duration, and post-vaccination outcomes. A total of 26 valid responses were included in the final analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and expressed as numbers and percentages. Results: Among the participants, 88.5% were pharmacy students and 96.2% were male. Covishield was the most commonly administered vaccine (84.6%), followed by Covaxin (11.5%). Most participants had completed booster-dose vaccination (65.4%). Adverse drug reactions following vaccination were reported by 80.8% of participants. The most common adverse reactions included pain at the injection site (69.2%), fever (53.8%), fatigue (50%), myalgia (46.2%), headache (38.5%), and chills (30.8%). Most symptoms resolved within one to four days. A small proportion of participants reported breakthrough COVID-19 infection after vaccination. No serious or life-threatening adverse reactions were reported. Conclusion: The results suggest that COVID-19 vaccination had a favorable safety profile among undergraduate healthcare students. The reported adverse events were predominantly minor, resolved within a short period, and generally required no specific intervention. Nevertheless, continued monitoring of vaccine-related reactions and effective pharmacovigilance are important for identifying safety concerns, supporting reliable safety data, and sustaining confidence in vaccination programs.