Social vulnerability and Lyme disease incidence: a regional analysis of the United States, 2000-2014

Background: Lyme disease (LD), which is highly preventable communicable illness, is the most commonly reported vector borne disease in the USA. The Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) is a county level measure of SES and vulnerability to environmental hazards or disease outbreaks, but has not yet been...

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Main Authors: Dhitinut Ratnapradipa, Justin Tyler McDaniel, Alexandra Barger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Milano University Press 2017-06-01
Series:Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
Online Access:http://ebph.it/article/view/12158
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author Dhitinut Ratnapradipa
Justin Tyler McDaniel
Alexandra Barger
author_facet Dhitinut Ratnapradipa
Justin Tyler McDaniel
Alexandra Barger
author_sort Dhitinut Ratnapradipa
collection DOAJ
description Background: Lyme disease (LD), which is highly preventable communicable illness, is the most commonly reported vector borne disease in the USA. The Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) is a county level measure of SES and vulnerability to environmental hazards or disease outbreaks, but has not yet been used in the study of LD. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the SoVI and LD incidence at the national level and regional division level in the United States between 2000 and 2014. Methods: County level LD data were downloaded from the CDC. County level SoVI were downloaded from the HVRI at the University of South Carolina and the CDC. Data were sorted into regional divisions as per the US Census Bureau and condense into three time intervals, 2000-2004, 2005-2009, and 2010-2014. QGIS was utilized to visually represent the data. Logarithmic OLS regression models were computed to determine the predictive power of the SoVI in LD incidence rates. Results: LD incidence was greatest in the Northeastern and upper Midwestern regions of the USA.  The results of the regression analyses showed that SoVI exhibited a significant quadratic relationship with LD incidence rates at the national level. Conclusion: Our results showed that counties with the highest and lowest social vulnerability were at greatest risk for LD. The SoVI may be a useful risk assessment tool for public health practitioners within the context of LD control.
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spelling doaj-art-e78b6515ce484a7bab586c9af73669992025-08-20T02:21:10ZengMilano University PressEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health2282-09302017-06-0114210.2427/1215810912Social vulnerability and Lyme disease incidence: a regional analysis of the United States, 2000-2014Dhitinut Ratnapradipa0Justin Tyler McDaniel1Alexandra Barger2Professor Department of Population Health Sam Houston State UniversityAssistant Professor Department of Health Promotion Charleston Southern UniversityMD/MPH Student School of Medicine Southern Illinois UniversityBackground: Lyme disease (LD), which is highly preventable communicable illness, is the most commonly reported vector borne disease in the USA. The Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) is a county level measure of SES and vulnerability to environmental hazards or disease outbreaks, but has not yet been used in the study of LD. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the SoVI and LD incidence at the national level and regional division level in the United States between 2000 and 2014. Methods: County level LD data were downloaded from the CDC. County level SoVI were downloaded from the HVRI at the University of South Carolina and the CDC. Data were sorted into regional divisions as per the US Census Bureau and condense into three time intervals, 2000-2004, 2005-2009, and 2010-2014. QGIS was utilized to visually represent the data. Logarithmic OLS regression models were computed to determine the predictive power of the SoVI in LD incidence rates. Results: LD incidence was greatest in the Northeastern and upper Midwestern regions of the USA.  The results of the regression analyses showed that SoVI exhibited a significant quadratic relationship with LD incidence rates at the national level. Conclusion: Our results showed that counties with the highest and lowest social vulnerability were at greatest risk for LD. The SoVI may be a useful risk assessment tool for public health practitioners within the context of LD control.http://ebph.it/article/view/12158
spellingShingle Dhitinut Ratnapradipa
Justin Tyler McDaniel
Alexandra Barger
Social vulnerability and Lyme disease incidence: a regional analysis of the United States, 2000-2014
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
title Social vulnerability and Lyme disease incidence: a regional analysis of the United States, 2000-2014
title_full Social vulnerability and Lyme disease incidence: a regional analysis of the United States, 2000-2014
title_fullStr Social vulnerability and Lyme disease incidence: a regional analysis of the United States, 2000-2014
title_full_unstemmed Social vulnerability and Lyme disease incidence: a regional analysis of the United States, 2000-2014
title_short Social vulnerability and Lyme disease incidence: a regional analysis of the United States, 2000-2014
title_sort social vulnerability and lyme disease incidence a regional analysis of the united states 2000 2014
url http://ebph.it/article/view/12158
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