Objective:

To assess the burden of influenza-like illness, preventive behaviours, healthcare-seeking patterns, and influenza vaccination uptake among multi-ethnic university students in the UAE, highlighting the significance of addressing health disparities.

Key Findings:

• Influenza affects diverse populations differently, with minority groups experiencing higher hospitalization rates, particularly among students.
• Vaccination rates among university students are generally suboptimal, with significant disparities based on ethnicity, with X% of minority students vaccinated compared to Y% of majority students.
• Preventive behaviours and healthcare-seeking patterns vary across different sociodemographic groups, with specific cultural practices influencing these behaviours.

Interpretation:

Understanding the interaction of cultural, behavioural, and healthcare access factors is crucial for effective influenza prevention strategies in university settings, particularly in addressing the unique needs of diverse populations.

Limitations:

• The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and the timing of the study may not reflect seasonal variations in influenza.
• Potential biases in self-reported data on health behaviours and vaccination status, which may not accurately represent actual behaviours.

Conclusion:

Targeted interventions, such as culturally tailored vaccination campaigns and improved access to healthcare services, are needed to improve vaccination uptake and preventive practices among university students, particularly in multi-ethnic environments.