Thesis
Persistence of Social Capital Effects on COVID-19 Outcomes and Vaccinations
University of Iowa
Bachelor of Science (BS), University of Iowa
Spring 2022
Abstract
The ability to overcome the free rider problem in a community can be attributed to measures of social and civic capital, both of which are vital to responding to problems that require small personal costs to achieve socially optimal benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented problem that societies around the world were forced to respond to – often with prevention-behavior mandates and orders that are individually costly but socially beneficial. Higher levels of social capital have been linked to stronger adherence to prevention-behavior mandates but whether social and civic capital affects COVID-19 outcomes in the aggregate is not yet clear. By county-level CDC case and vaccination data I analyze the correlation between social capital and COVID-19 severity and vaccination rates. Contrary to what was expected, social capital seemed to have little impact on cases and deaths and instead a much larger impact on vaccination rates. Even then, the magnitude of the effects of social capital are small compared to surprisingly large partisanship correlates.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Persistence of Social Capital Effects on COVID-19 Outcomes and Vaccinations
- Creators
- Adam Edwards
- Contributors
- Hennadige Thenuwara (Advisor) - University of IowaDavid Frisvold (Mentor) - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Project Type
- Honors Thesis
- Degree Awarded
- Bachelor of Science (BS), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Economics
- Date degree season
- Spring 2022
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- 37 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2022 Adam Edwards
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Honors Program; Business Honors Theses
- Record Identifier
- 9984274758302771
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