Ben Kahn

About

My primary research interests are in understanding: 1) Social and behavioral factors that inhibit or promote vaccination; 2) Drivers of vaccine hesitancy; and 3) Interventions, policies, and communication tools used to effectively promote vaccine uptake. My work at UNC focuses on HPV vaccination, and I am also interested in COVID-19 vaccination. I currently serve as a research assistant on Project 1 of the Improving Provider Announcement Communication Training (IMPACT) Program Project, which explores the impact of standing orders used by physicians to authorize nurses and medical assistants to recommend HPV vaccines. Overall, IMPACT seeks to learn how a provider's entire team can contribute to vaccine recommendations. Before coming to UNC in 2021, I spent 5 years working at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, where I most recently served as an editor of the Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine.

Research Activities

 - Vaccine behavior and communication 
 - Vaccine access and equity 
 - Trust in public health institutions and messengers 
 - Translation of research into health policy 
 - History of global public health

Education