@article{Aleksandric_Obasanya_Melcher_Nilizadeh_Mustata Wilson_2022, title={Your Tweets Matter: : How Social Media Sentiments Associate with COVID-19 Vaccination Rates in the US}, volume={14}, url={https://ojphi.org/ojs/index.php/ojphi/article/view/12419}, DOI={10.5210/ojphi.v14i1.12419}, abstractNote={<p><strong>Objective:</strong> The aims of the study were to examine the association between social media sentiments surrounding COVID-19 vaccination and the effects on vaccination rates in the United States (US), as well as other contributing factors to the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.</p> <p><strong>Method: </strong>The dataset used in this study consists of vaccine-related English tweets collected in real-time from January 4 - May 11, 2021, posted within the US, as well as health literacy (HL), social vulnerability index (SVI), and vaccination rates at the state level.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> The findings presented in this study demonstrate a significant correlation between the sentiments of the tweets and the vaccination rate in the US. The results also suggest a significant negative association between HL and SVI and that the state demographics correlate with both HL and SVI.</p> <p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Social media activity provides insights into public opinion about vaccinations and helps determine the required public health interventions to increase the vaccination rate in the US.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Health literacy, social vulnerability index and monitoring of social media sentiments need to be considered in public health interventions as part of vaccination campaigns.</p> <p><strong>Keywords</strong>: COVID–19, Health Literacy, COVID–19 Vaccine Hesitancy, Social Vulnerability Index, Social Media, Social Determinants of Health</p> <p><strong>Abbreviations</strong>: Health Literacy (HL), Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), United States (US)</p> <p><strong>Correspondence</strong>: <a href="mailto:gabriela.wilson@uta.edu">gabriela.wilson@uta.edu</a></p>}, number={1}, journal={Online Journal of Public Health Informatics}, author={Aleksandric, Ana and Obasanya, Mercy Jesuloluwa and Melcher, Sarah and Nilizadeh, Shirin and Mustata Wilson, Gabriela}, year={2022}, month={Aug.} }