Year of Publication

2024

College

Public Health

Date Available

4-30-2024

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)

Committee Member

Dr. Corrine Williams

Advisor

Dr. Marc Kiviniemi

Co-Director of Graduate Studies

Dr. Anne Ray

Abstract

This capstone will explore the challenges of vaccine hesitancy, a continuously rising problem in the public health field. The focus is primarily on rural millennials in McCracken County, Kentucky. The study identifies key factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy including misinformation, trust issues, and the rapid development of the covid-19 vaccine. To address the above concerns the study proposes a targeted social media campaign using the health belief model to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake through Facebook ads targeting millennials. The campaigns utilize the leverage of local insights and real-time data to enhance engagement and reduce hesitancy, focusing on adapting strategies based on community feedback and effectiveness measures including social media metrics. The project anticipates that by directly addressing the barriers of vaccine hesitancy among millennials of McCracken County, the campaign can significantly influence vaccination rates and contribute to broader health goals. The results are expected to provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of social media strategies in overcoming vaccine hesitancy in rural communities.

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