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EpiModel (version 1.8.0)

param.net: Epidemic Parameters for Stochastic Network Models

Description

Sets the epidemic parameters for stochastic network models simulated with netsim.

Usage

param.net(
  inf.prob,
  inter.eff,
  inter.start,
  act.rate,
  rec.rate,
  a.rate,
  ds.rate,
  di.rate,
  dr.rate,
  inf.prob.m2,
  rec.rate.m2,
  a.rate.m2,
  ds.rate.m2,
  di.rate.m2,
  dr.rate.m2,
  ...
)

Arguments

inf.prob

Probability of infection per transmissible act between a susceptible and an infected person. In bipartite models, this is the probability of infection to the mode 1 nodes. This may also be a vector of probabilities, with each element corresponding to the probability in that time step of infection (see Time-Varying Parameters below).

inter.eff

Efficacy of an intervention which affects the per-act probability of infection. Efficacy is defined as 1 - the relative hazard of infection given exposure to the intervention, compared to no exposure.

inter.start

Time step at which the intervention starts, between 1 and the number of time steps specified in the model. This will default to 1 if the inter.eff is defined but this parameter is not.

act.rate

Average number of transmissible acts per partnership per unit time (see act.rate Parameter below). This may also be a vector of rates, with each element corresponding to the rate in in that time step of infection (see Time-Varying Parameters below).

rec.rate

Average rate of recovery with immunity (in SIR models) or re-susceptibility (in SIS models). The recovery rate is the reciprocal of the disease duration. For bipartite models, this is the recovery rate for mode 1 persons only. This parameter is only used for SIR and SIS models. This may also be a vector of rates, with each element corresponding to the rate in that time step of infection (see Time-Varying Parameters below).

a.rate

Arrival or entry rate. For one-mode models, the arrival rate is the rate of new arrivals per person per unit time. For bipartite models, the arrival rate may be parameterized as a rate per mode 1 person time (with mode 1 persons representing females), and with the a.rate.g2 rate set as described below.

ds.rate

Departure or exit rate for susceptible. For bipartite models, it is the rate for the mode 1 susceptible only.

di.rate

Departure or exit rate for infected. For bipartite models, it is the rate for the mode 1 infected only.

dr.rate

Departure or exit rate for recovered. For bipartite models, it is the rate for the mode 1 recovered only. This parameter is only used for SIR models.

inf.prob.m2

Probability of transmission given a transmissible act between a susceptible mode 2 person and an infected mode 1 person. It is the probability of transmission to mode 2 members.

rec.rate.m2

Average rate of recovery with immunity (in SIR models) or re-susceptibility (in SIS models) for mode 2 persons. This parameter is only used for bipartite SIR and SIS models.

a.rate.m2

Arrival or entry rate for mode 2. This may either be specified numerically as the rate of new arrivals per mode 2 persons per unit time, or as NA in which case the mode 1 rate, a.rate, governs the mode 2 rate. The latter is used when, for example, the first mode is conceptualized as female, and the female population size determines the arrival rate. Such arrivalss are evenly allocated between the two modes.

ds.rate.m2

Departure or exit rate for mode 2 susceptible.

di.rate.m2

Departure or exit rate for mode 2 infected.

dr.rate.m2

Departure or exit rate for mode 2 recovered. This parameter is only used for SIR model types.

...

Additional arguments passed to model.

The <code>act.rate</code> Parameter

A key difference between these network models and DCM/ICM classes is the treatment of transmission events. With DCM and ICM, contacts or partnerships are mathematically instantaneous events: they have no duration in time, and thus no changes may occur within them over time. In contrast, network models allow for partnership durations defined by the dynamic network model, summarized in the model dissolution coefficients calculated in dissolution_coefs. Therefore, the act.rate parameter has a different interpretation here, where it is the number of transmissible acts per partnership per unit time.

Time-Varying Parameters

The inf.prob, act.rate, rec.rate arguments (and their .m2 companions) may be specified as time-varying parameters by passing in a vector of probabilities or rates, respectively. The value in each position on the vector then corresponds to the probability or rate at that discrete time step for the infected partner. For example, an inf.prob of c(0.5, 0.5, 0.1) would simulate a 0.5 transmission probability for the first two time steps of a person's infection, followed by a 0.1 for the third time step. If the infected person has not recovered or exited the population by the fourth time step, the third element in the vector will carry forward until one of those events occurs or the simulation ends. For further examples, see the NME tutorial, Time-Varying Biology & Behavior.

New Modules

To build original models outside of the base models, new process modules may be constructed to replace the existing modules or to supplement the existing set. These are passed into the control settings in control.net. New modules may use either the existing model parameters named here, an original set of parameters, or a combination of both. The ... allows the user to pass an arbitrary set of original model parameters into param.net. Whereas there are strict checks with default modules for parameter validity, these checks are the user's responsibility with new modules.

Details

param.net sets the epidemic parameters for the stochastic network models simulated with the netsim function. Models may use the base types, for which these parameters are used, or new process modules which may use these parameters (but not necessarily). A detailed description of network model parameterization for base models is found in the Basic Network Models tutorial.

For base models, the model specification will be chosen as a result of the model parameters entered here and the control settings in control.net. One-mode and two-mode models are available, where the the latter assumes a heterogenous mixing between two distinct partitions in the population (e.g., men and women). Specifying any bipartite parameters (those with a .m2) implies the simulation of a bipartite model. All the parameters for a desired model type must be specified, even if they are zero.

See Also

Use init.net to specify the initial conditions and control.net to specify the control settings. Run the parameterized model with netsim.