A game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connections

Abstract In today’s interconnected world, the spread of information is closely linked to infectious disease dynamics. Public awareness plays a crucial role, as individual vaccination decisions significantly impact collective efforts to combat emerging health threats. This study explores disease tran...

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Main Authors: Viney Kumar, Chris T Bauch, Samit Bhattacharyya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79771-8
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author Viney Kumar
Chris T Bauch
Samit Bhattacharyya
author_facet Viney Kumar
Chris T Bauch
Samit Bhattacharyya
author_sort Viney Kumar
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In today’s interconnected world, the spread of information is closely linked to infectious disease dynamics. Public awareness plays a crucial role, as individual vaccination decisions significantly impact collective efforts to combat emerging health threats. This study explores disease transmission within a framework integrating social connections, information sharing, and individual vaccination decisions. We introduce a behaviour-prevalence model on an adaptive multiplex network, where the physical layer (Layer-II) captures disease transmission under vaccination. In contrast, the virtual layer (Layer-I) represents adaptive social contacts and the flow of information, shaping vaccination decisions within a socially influenced environment. We derive analytical expressions for the epidemic threshold using the microscopic Markov Chain Method (MMCM). Simulation results highlight that adaptive social contacts lead to a higher epidemic threshold than non-adaptive networks. Additionally, network characteristics, such as the power-law exponent in scale-free networks, significantly impact infection spread within populations. Our results reveal that changes in perceived infection risk and an individual’s sensitivity to non-vaccinated neighbour’s status strongly influence vaccine uptake across populations. These insights can guide public health officials in developing targeted vaccination programs that address the evolving dynamics of social connections, information dissemination, and vaccination choice in the digital era.
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spelling doaj-art-9392cd9752e140af9ba15c0d8ebfff6f2025-08-20T02:51:15ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-0114111710.1038/s41598-024-79771-8A game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connectionsViney Kumar0Chris T Bauch1Samit Bhattacharyya2Department of Mathematics, School of Natural Science, Shiv Nadar Institution of EminenceDepartment of Applied Mathematics, University of WaterlooDepartment of Mathematics, School of Natural Science, Shiv Nadar Institution of EminenceAbstract In today’s interconnected world, the spread of information is closely linked to infectious disease dynamics. Public awareness plays a crucial role, as individual vaccination decisions significantly impact collective efforts to combat emerging health threats. This study explores disease transmission within a framework integrating social connections, information sharing, and individual vaccination decisions. We introduce a behaviour-prevalence model on an adaptive multiplex network, where the physical layer (Layer-II) captures disease transmission under vaccination. In contrast, the virtual layer (Layer-I) represents adaptive social contacts and the flow of information, shaping vaccination decisions within a socially influenced environment. We derive analytical expressions for the epidemic threshold using the microscopic Markov Chain Method (MMCM). Simulation results highlight that adaptive social contacts lead to a higher epidemic threshold than non-adaptive networks. Additionally, network characteristics, such as the power-law exponent in scale-free networks, significantly impact infection spread within populations. Our results reveal that changes in perceived infection risk and an individual’s sensitivity to non-vaccinated neighbour’s status strongly influence vaccine uptake across populations. These insights can guide public health officials in developing targeted vaccination programs that address the evolving dynamics of social connections, information dissemination, and vaccination choice in the digital era.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79771-8Evolutionary game theoryDisease transmissionVaccination behaviourEpidemic thresholdMicroscopic Markov Chain method
spellingShingle Viney Kumar
Chris T Bauch
Samit Bhattacharyya
A game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connections
Scientific Reports
Evolutionary game theory
Disease transmission
Vaccination behaviour
Epidemic threshold
Microscopic Markov Chain method
title A game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connections
title_full A game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connections
title_fullStr A game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connections
title_full_unstemmed A game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connections
title_short A game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connections
title_sort game theoretic complex network model to estimate the epidemic threshold under individual vaccination behaviour and adaptive social connections
topic Evolutionary game theory
Disease transmission
Vaccination behaviour
Epidemic threshold
Microscopic Markov Chain method
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79771-8
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