https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180614212651.htm

In an article publishing next week in the SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics, Mengfeng Sun, Michael Small, Shui Shan Lee, and Xinchu Fu employ a concrete interplay model in quenched multiplex networks to study the connection between adaptive human behavior and epidemic spread. They base their model -- which illustrates these factors as separate layers in the networks -- on a standard susceptible-infected-susceptible model. Its generality makes it applicable to a wide range of public health scenarios.

Members of an affected population typically base their behavioral responses on information gleaned from mass and social media, physical encounters in their social and spatial neighborhoods, and general observations. "Traditionally, infectious disease models have treated human behaviors as constant, implying that they do not fluctuate according to disease incidence or a characteristic timescale," Sun and Fu said. "However, the development of modern technology offers a great convenience for the communication of human behaviors, including face-to-face conversations, email exchanges, phone calls, and other types of interactions in a variety of network forums." Humans adopt preventative measures based on these direct or indirect relations, both to protect themselves from infection and reduce the risk of further disease transmission. Such measures include limitation or elimination of time spent outside the home, increased attention to hand-washing and personal hygiene, and limited contact with neighbors and other citizens.