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Healthcare Agent-Based

Epidemics Education - Systems Thinking

Epidemics Education - Systems Thinking

Challenge

This project was part of a research study conducted at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Muscat and the University of Sydney. Previous studies found that medical students face difficulties grasping certain epidemiology concepts. The aim was to build agent-based models to help undergraduate students understand systems concepts and explore the nature and behavior of various diseases.

Solution

Six agent-based models were prepared for students to explore:

SEIRS Model

A typical model used in epidemiology to understand how a new unknown disease spreads and how long it would take to end. The letters stand for susceptible, exposed, infected, recovered, and susceptible again.

SEIRS epidemiological model
SEIRS epidemiological model

Forest Fire Model

Shows how a fire spreads through a forest with trees.

Forest fire model
Forest fire model

Malaria Model

Shows the behavior of a known disease with factors such as hospitalization and prevention policies (mosquito repellents and nets).

Malaria model
Malaria model

Marketing Model

Studies the effect of marketing campaigns such as advertisements on product sales.

Marketing model
Marketing model

Covid-19 Model

Helps study the spread of covid with sociability factors and prevention policies such as masks, quarantine, and vaccination.

Covid-19 model
Covid-19 model

Predator-Prey Model

Studies the dynamics between interacting species in an ecosystem — wolves and sheep in this case.

Predator-prey model
Predator-prey model

Systems Concepts Conveyed

Each pair of models was designed to convey specific dynamic concepts:

  • SEIRS and fire: Emergence
  • Malaria and marketing: Tipping point and Resilience
  • Covid and predator-prey: Dynamic equilibrium

Outcome

These models were used in an experiment on students to help learn complex systems ideas relevant to understanding epidemics. The study proved that this instructional approach could help students achieve deeper understanding and greater performance on declarative and explanatory knowledge about epidemic diseases, as well as transfer of such knowledge to new, previously unexposed problems.

Project Features

  • Industry: Education and Epidemics
  • Model: Agent-Based
  • Duration: 1 month

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