Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Clarence Schumaker

Abstract

Perceived risks and side effects have left some with a lack of confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccines. This may lead to not adhering to the recommended vaccination schedule and result in outbreaks that have the potential to harm those who are unable to get vaccinated due to age or infirmity. It is vital to seek and address the characteristics that may predict one’s confidence in vaccines. The aim of this study was to identify whether an individual’s alternative diet behavior may be able to predict their confidence in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The theoretical concepts of the health belief model and the social ecological theory, with their insight into influences of health behavior, were used to assist in assessing how following an alternative diet (vegan/vegetarian, non-GMO, and organic) may affect an individual’s confidence in MMR vaccines. The research questions addressed whether there is a significant relationship between an alternative diet and the factors that may contribute to vaccine confidence: an individual’s perceived risk of side effects and benefits, the trust an individual has in pharmaceutical leaders to give accurate information on risks and side effects, and whether an individual believes the risks outweigh the benefits or the benefits outweigh the risks. This quantitative study was conducted using chi-square analysis, with p value determining whether there is a significant relationship between diet and vaccine confidence. The results of this study can be used to inform public health practitioners of the predictors of vaccine confidence so targeted interventions addressing those predictors may be developed resulting in increased vaccine adherence and the reduction of disease outbreaks, which can be both a public health danger and a financial burden to society.

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