Date of Conferral
5-3-2024
Date of Award
May 2024
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Health
Advisor
Tolulope Osoba
Abstract
In 2018, the state of Kentucky faced an outbreak of Hepatitis A virus (HAV), which led to a significant increase in HAV cases, hospitalizations, and fatalities. The social-ecological model (SEM) was used in a cross-sectional design to identify the factors associated with this outbreak. This approach employed secondary data extracted from the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS). Logistic regression was used to test hypotheses determining homelessness, drug use, and HAV vaccine status were related to HAV hospitalizations. There was a statistically significant association between the covariate age and HAV hospitalization (p = 0.004), and between homelessness and hospitalization (p < .001); however, associations between drug use and HAV vaccine status were not statistically. Intervention programs should target homeless populations; such targeting can lead to a reduction in HAV infections and HAV outbreaks. Implications for positive social change include motivation for policymakers and public health officials to assist in curtailing hospitalization and mortality rates caused by HAV in high-risk groups. Targeted prevention and intervention measures can mitigate the incidence of HAV in high-risk populations and enhance their health prospects.
Recommended Citation
Campbell, Tanya, "Risk Factors for Hepatitis A Hospitalizations and Mortality in Kentucky's 2018 Hepatitis A Outbreak" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15728.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15728
