On epidemic spread in a multiplex-metapopulation-like network with coupled negative and positive information interaction

Dun Han, Yuling Li, Juquan Wang and Jia Ke

Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 2025, vol. 195, issue C

Abstract: While negative information may heighten individuals’ sense of urgency, motivating them to adopt stricter infection prevention measures, positive information can lead to complacency, resulting in lax protective behaviors and accelerating the spread of epidemics. To explore this dynamic, we developed an epidemic spreading model in a multiplex-metapopulation-like network. By means of the Markov chain approach, we derived the epidemic threshold and conducted extensive simulations via the Monte Carlo method. The results indicate that widespread dissemination of negative information is more effective at raising public awareness of epidemic prevention, lowering infection rates, and curbing outbreaks. Conversely, the dissemination of positive information can have the opposite effect. Moreover, our findings highlight that individual behavioral heterogeneity holds the undeniable role in the epidemic’s spread. Specifically, frequent mobility and neglect of self-protection can significantly accelerate the transmission of infectious diseases.

Keywords: Epidemic spreading; Multiplex-metapopulation-like network; Negative and positive information; Individual heterogeneity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:chsofr:v:195:y:2025:i:c:s0960077925002693

DOI: 10.1016/j.chaos.2025.116256

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