title: Economic and social impact of influenza mitigation strategies by demographic class.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aim to determine the economic and social impact of typical interventions proposed by the public health officials and preventive behavioral changes adopted by the private citizens in the event of a "flu-like" epidemic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We apply an individual-based simulation model to the New River Valley area of Virginia for addressing this critical problem. The economic costs include not only the loss in productivity due to sickness but also the indirect cost incurred through disease avoidance and caring for dependents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that the most important factor responsible for preventing income loss is the modification of individual behavior; it drops the total income loss by 62% compared to the base case. The next most important factor is the closure of schools which reduces the total income loss by another 40%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preventive behavior of the private citizens is the most important factor in controlling the epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory, Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061, USA. cbarrett@vbi.vt.edu
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bisset
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leidig
authors.forename: Achla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marathe
authors.forename: Madhav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marathe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D012574:Schools / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012923:Social Class; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents