The Dynamics of the Spread of COVID-19 in Kansas
Researchers from various disciplines have studied the factors influencing the rapid spread of COVID-19. Prior studies have reported demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and health related factors that may influence the diffusion of the virus. Most of these studies, however, used a cross sectional approach at a national scale. Such analysis may hide region specific temporal, spatial, and societal dynamics of the disease that influence its spread. My two part-study investigates the dynamics of the spread of COVID-19 in Kansas by dividing the timeline for the COVID-19 outbreak into phases based on key events, interventions, and policies implemented in Kansas. I used nonparametric tests, spatial, and statistical modeling, to understand the spread of COVID-19. My findings revealed how the pattern and type of diffusion, the relationship between cases and deaths, and the factors that influenced the spread of COVID-19 cases and its associated deaths varied over time. This can be linked to particular human geographic variables such as transportation hubs, age, and occupation of people. Overall, this study has demonstrated how focusing on more localized dynamics across different phases of the pandemic within the state of Kansas provides a more detailed understanding of how a disease like COVID-19 can spread.
Geography, COVID-19, Disease diffusion, Kansas, Non-Parametric test, Spatial analysis, Spatial Durbin Model
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