Systems analysis of vaccination in the United States: Socio-behavioral dynamics, sentiment, effectiveness and efficiency

This dissertation examines the socio-behavioral determinants of vaccination and their impacts on public health, using a systems approach that emphasizes the interface between population health research, policy, and practice. First, we identify the facilitators and barriers of parental attitudes and beliefs toward school-located influenza vaccination in the United States. Next, we examine current vaccine sentiment on social media by constructing and analyzing semantic networks of vaccine information online. Finally, we estimate the health benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination strategies in Seattle using a dynamic agent-based model. The underlying motivation for this research is to better inform public health policy by leveraging the facilitators and addressing potential barriers against vaccination; by understanding vaccine sentiment to improve health science communication; and by assessing potential vaccination strategies that may provide the greatest gains in health for a given cost in health resources.

Name thesis:degree_name

PHD

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences

Department dc:contributor.department

Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Kang, Gloria Jin

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Eubank, Stephen G.
• Abbas, Kaja M.
• Marathe, Madhav Vishnu

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Lewis, Bryan L.
• Kelly, Marcella J.

• public health
• vaccination
• influenza
• computational epidemiology

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:16823

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/97079