Journal of Public Health and Development Vol.21 No.3 September-December 2023 66 Determinants of the willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccination among students of Pattimura University, Indonesia Agung Jaya Pratama 1 , Christiana Rialine Titaley 1 , Amanda Gracia Manuputty 1 , Maxwell Landri Vers Malakauseya 1 , Yuniasih M. J. Taihuttu 1 , Bertha Jean Que 1 , Ryan Rachman Nugraha 2 , Kuswandewi Mutyara 3 , Cissy B. Kartasasmita 4 1 Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Pattimura, l. Ir. M. Putuhena, Ambon, 97233, Indonesia 2 Centre for Population, Family, and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium 3 Department of Public Health Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia 4 Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran /Rumah Sakit Hasan Sadikin, Bandung, Indonesia Corresponding Author: Christiana Rialine Titaley Email: christiana_rialine@yahoo.com Received: 4 April 2023 Revised: 15 June 2023 Accepted: 27 June 2023 Available online: September 2023 DOI: 10.55131/jphd/2023/210306 ABSTRACT High coverage of COVID-19 vaccination is claimed to be the most effective intervention to prevent the transmission of coronavirus disease. This study aimed to analyze the factors associated with willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination among students of the Universitas Pattimura, Ambon, Indonesia. This cross-sectional study collected information using an online questionnaire distributed to students at Universitas Pattimura in January 2021, when the COVID-19 vaccination program was initiated in Indonesia. Guided by the Health Belief Model, potential predictors in this analysis were categorized as follows: (1) sociodemographic characteristics; (2) predisposing factors; (3) perceived susceptibility; (4) perceived benefits; and (5) perceived barriers. Data were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. We found that only 42.1% of the students were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The odds of students’ willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination decreased by 52% in students who did not perceive themselves to be at risk of contracting COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=0.48, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.34–0.68). The odds also decreased by 97% in those who strongly disagreed that the COVID-19 vaccine was safe and effective (aOR=0.03, 95% CI: 0.01– 0.08), and by 45% in those who were neutral towards the statement if COVID-19 vaccination is the solution to end the pandemic (aOR=0.55, 95% CI: 0.36–0.84). However, the odds of willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination increased by 53% in students showing neutrality toward fear of needles (aOR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.04–2.25). The odds of willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination in students who were neutral towards the side effects of vaccination were >3 times higher than those who were concerned about the side effects of vaccination (aOR=4.05, 95% CI: 2.61–6.26). Health promotion strategies should be accompanied by efforts to reduce the harmful effects of rumors that may hinder students’ willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccination programs. Key words: COVID-19 vaccination; students; Pattimura University Citation: Agung Jaya Pratama, Christiana Rialine Titaley, Amanda Gracia Manuputty, Maxwell Landri Vers Malakauseya, Yuniasih M. J. Taihuttu, Bertha Jean Que, Ryan Rachman Nugraha, Kuswandewi Mutyara, Cissy B. Kartasasmita. Determinants of the willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccination among students of Pattimura University, Indonesia. J Public Hlth Dev. 2023;21(3):66-77 (https://doi.org/10.55131/jphd/2023/210306) ORIGINAL ARTICLE