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Pubblicato il 14/01/2013Read time: 1 min

Researchers in economy and computer science at Wake Forest University used an online computer game to simulate the spread of an infectious disease, in order to understand why less than half of the American population has gotten a vaccination against flu, in spite of the severe outbreaks reported this season.

Their study is the first one in economic epidemiology which makes use of virtual diseases to address important issues in the development of preventive healthcare strategies. “Our research shows that to prevent an epidemic, there is a need to tailor a menu of options for different kinds of people,” said Frederick Chen, first author of the article which described the work, published on January on PLoS ONE.

The multiplayer game allowed to test behavior that could not be tested in real life, since it is not possible to give some people treatment and others not. Thanks to this simulation, researchers concluded that if the cost of self-protection is higher, people are more inclined to take a risk, trying to see if they can stay healthy without paying for the vaccination. The model also showed that the number of those who chose to protect themselves increased as the number of people infected around them.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0052814

An economic game to improve disease prevention

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Europe votes on the new air quality directive

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The European Parliament's vote (and subsequently the Council of Europe's) on the new European Directive on air quality is expected for September 13. This directive updates the allowed atmospheric pollutant limits, bringing them closer to those established by the WHO in 2021. Resistance to the new objectives, mainly coming from the industrial world and established economic interests in certain regions, makes the outcome of the vote uncertain. However, there are no serious scientific or political reasons to oppose or attempt to dilute the more ambitious limits proposed by the new directive.

Image credits: JC Gellidon/Unsplash

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The new European Directive on air quality, currently under discussion in the European Parliament, updates the concentration limits of major air pollutants, bringing them closer to those set by the new guidelines of the World Health Organization (2021). The outcome of the vote, scheduled for September 13, is uncertain.