Hierarchical impact of media-induced awareness on epidemic dynamics: Analysis and application of an SIR-M model

Huanyi Wang, Suxia Zhang, Jinhu Xu and Xingyu Zhang

Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), 2026, vol. 243, issue C, 307-326

Abstract: During an epidemic outbreak, the release of contagion data and related information in media coverage enhances protective awareness among individuals, thereby prompting behavioral adaptations that subsequently influence disease transmission dynamics. To explore the feedback mechanism between the dynamics of epidemic progression and social media, an SIR-M model incorporating the hierarchical impact of media-induced awareness is established, characterizing the distinct levels of behavioral response based on the perception of potential risks within the population. The analysis and application of the proposed model are conducted extensively and comprehensively. The findings demonstrate that under specific parametric conditions, the decay rate of media coverage can destabilize the endemic equilibrium and induce a Hopf bifurcation. This phenomenon is further confirmed by both one- and two-parameter bifurcation diagrams. Using particle swarm optimization algorithm for parameter estimation, we show that the proposed model effectively captures the temporal trends of both COVID-19 case data and related media coverage, revealing the hierarchical nature of protection awareness.

Keywords: Hierarchical impact; Media-induced awareness; Two-parameter diagram; PSO algorithm; Data fitting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:matcom:v:243:y:2026:i:c:p:307-326

DOI: 10.1016/j.matcom.2025.11.038

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