Degree Name

MS (Master of Science)

Program

Geosciences

Date of Award

5-2023

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Ingrid Luffman

Committee Members

Andrew Joyner, Megan Quinn

Abstract

This study is a spatiotemporal analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in school-age children (5-18 years) in Tennessee, from 2020-03-19 to 2022-02-12. Trend Analysis, Emerging Hot Spot Analysis, and a time series revealed three significant waves in both age groups. Therefore, Change Point Detection at the county level was completed using six defined change points to identify the wax and wane of the three COVID-19 waves. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis grouped counties with similar change points into six clusters. No spatial pattern was observed in distribution of the six clusters, however, when each change point was evaluated separately, spatial autocorrelation was present, showing that timing of the individual waves was clustered in space. This research describes appropriate spatioanalytical methods useful at different stages of a pandemic and could inform policymaking by public health officials.

Document Type

Thesis - embargo

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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