Homophily and Infections: Static and Dynamic Effects

Matteo Bizzarri, Fabrizio Panebianco () and Paolo Pin
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Fabrizio Panebianco: Università Cattolica di Milano.

CSEF Working Papers from Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy

Abstract: We analyze the effect of homophily in an epidemics between two groups of agents that differ in vaccination rates (“vaxxers" and “anti-vaxxers"). The steady state infection rate is hump-shaped in homophily, whereas the cumulative number of agents infected during an outbreak is u-shaped. If vaccination rates are endogenous, homophily has the opposite impact on the two groups, but the qualitative behavior of the aggregate is unchanged. However, the sign of the group-level impact is the opposite if vaccination is motivated by infection risk or by peer pressure. If motivations are group-specific, homophily can be harmful for both groups.

Keywords: Homophily; seasonal diseases; vaccination; anti-vaccination movements; SIS-type model. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D62 D85 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-04-26
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea, nep-mac and nep-net
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Homophily and infections: Static and dynamic effects (2025)
Working Paper: Homophily and infections: static and dynamic effects (2024)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sef:csefwp:672

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