Importance of social inequalities to contact patterns, vaccine uptake, and epidemic dynamics

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dc.contributor.authorManna, Adriana
dc.contributor.authorKoltai, Júlia
dc.contributor.authorKarsai, Márton
dc.contributor.institutionDepartment of Network and Data Science
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-22T11:55:04Z
dc.date.available2025-03-22T11:55:04Z
dc.date.issued2024-05-16
dc.description.abstractIndividuals’ socio-demographic and economic characteristics crucially shape the spread of an epidemic by largely determining the exposure level to the virus and the severity of the disease for those who got infected. While the complex interplay between individual characteristics and epidemic dynamics is widely recognised, traditional mathematical models often overlook these factors. In this study, we examine two important aspects of human behaviour relevant to epidemics: contact patterns and vaccination uptake. Using data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary, we first identify the dimensions along which individuals exhibit the greatest variation in their contact patterns and vaccination uptake. We find that generally higher socio-economic groups of the population have a higher number of contacts and a higher vaccination uptake with respect to disadvantaged groups. Subsequently, we propose a data-driven epidemiological model that incorporates these behavioural differences. Finally, we apply our model to analyse the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Hungary, providing valuable insights into real-world scenarios. By bridging the gap between individual characteristics and epidemic spread, our research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of disease dynamics and informs effective public health strategies.eng
dc.identifier.citationManna, A, Koltai, J & Karsai, M 2024, 'Importance of social inequalities to contact patterns, vaccine uptake, and epidemic dynamics', Nature Communications, vol. 15, no. 1, 4137. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48332-y
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/s41467-024-48332-y
dc.identifier.issn2041-1723
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14018/26511
dc.identifier.urlhttp://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85193548648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightscc-by
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.source.journaltitleNature Communications
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectAged
dc.subjectCOVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage
dc.subjectCOVID-19/epidemiology
dc.subjectEpidemics
dc.subjectEpidemiological Models
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectHungary/epidemiology
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectMiddle Aged
dc.subjectPandemics/prevention & control
dc.subjectSARS-CoV-2/immunology
dc.subjectSocioeconomic Factors
dc.subjectVaccination/statistics & numerical data
dc.subjectSDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
dc.titleImportance of social inequalities to contact patterns, vaccine uptake, and epidemic dynamicseng
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