Theses and Dissertations
Filtering by
- All Subjects: public health
- Creators: School of Life Sciences
This study compares vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic with previous studies on vaccine hesitancy to evaluate the major driving factors behind COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among undergraduate students at Arizona State University (ASU). Undergraduate students were surveyed with questions regarding different aspects of vaccines, including personal vaccination history, opinions on the COVID-19 vaccine, knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine, and reasoning behind vaccination status. The survey was distributed through school listservs within ASU. Close-ended questions underwent statistical analysis on IBM SPSS and open-ended questions were analyzed using content analysis. Results indicated that the main driving factors behind vaccine hesitancy are believing in natural immunity, familial influence, lack of trust behind the technology of the COVID-19 vaccine, and preferring the risk of COVID-19 infection over the risk of COVID-19 vaccination. The main driving factors behind vaccine hesitancy appear to be similar to driving factors in the past, with an increase of mistrust surrounding the vaccine.
This project explores modern healthcare related disparities in Phoenix, Arizona, as well as the overarching historical structures that have influenced public health within the city. Historical and systemic racism, harmful housing policies, barriers preventing upwards economic mobility, and purposeful measures put in place by business leaders and city officials are all explored as factors impacting current disparities in access to care. In order to fully analyze the gaps in care, different areas, both high and low-income, are analyzed throughout history in order to understand shifting demographics and policies. The project concludes with an in-depth look at current public health efforts within Maricopa County, as well as with future policy recommendations.