| Summary: | Emotional intelligence (EI) is understanding, using, and managing emotions constructively. Increasing students’ vaccination knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic is vital, as it considerably influences individual preventive behaviour. Thus, this research aims to determine the relationship between EI level with vaccination knowledge and preventive behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. A correlational research design was conducted among 387 UiTM Cawangan Selangor (UCS), Malaysia undergraduate students. Three valid and reliable questionnaires were used: the USM Emotional Quotient Inventory (USMEQ-i), Level of Vaccination Knowledge, and Behavioural Prevention Questionnaire. In the study, the majority of the respondents have a high level of EI (n = 285, 73.6%), followed by an average (n = 102, 26.4%) and none of the respondents has a low EI level A weak positive correlation was found between EI and vaccination knowledge in the medical fields of the study, r(182) = 0.159, p < 0.05. For vaccination knowledge and preventive behaviour, a weak positive correlation was found between those variables in both medical, r(182) = 0.182, p < 0.05 and non-medical, r(201) = 0.227, p < 0.05 fields of study. Therefore, EI acts as an essential element to increase the level of vaccination knowledge among medical but not non-medical students. Students with a high level of vaccination knowledge exhibit good preventive behaviour in both fields of study. Hence, this research might help to decrease COVID-19 transmission significantly. © (2024), (Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association). All rights reserved.
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