title: Unhealthy behaviour is contagious: an invitation to exploit models for infectious diseases.
abstract: We argue that the spread of unhealthy behaviour shows marked similarities with infectious diseases. It is therefore interesting and challenging to use infectious disease methodologies for studying the spread and control of unhealthy behaviour. This would be a great addition to current methods, because it allows taking into account the dynamics of individual interactions and the social environment at large. In particular, the application of individual-based modelling holds great promise to address some major public health questions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Blok
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: VAN Empelen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: VAN Lenthe
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Richardus
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: DE Vlas
mesh_terms: D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior