Newswise — 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 be 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.

For more information on the study, see the full story on the Swarthmore College website -- http://www.swarthmore.edu/news-events/swarthmore-economists-ask-what-convinces-college-students-to-get-flu-vaccines

If you are interested in speaking with Magenheim and Bronchetti about their project, please contact Mark Anskis of the Swarthmore College communications office ([email protected] /610-328-8271).