scholarly journals Association between tuberculosis in men and social network structure in Kampala, Uganda

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paige B. Miller ◽  
Sarah Zalwango ◽  
Ronald Galiwango ◽  
Robert Kakaire ◽  
Juliet Sekandi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Disease Status ◽  
Adult Men ◽  
Contact Rates ◽  
Social Network Structure ◽  
Social Mixing ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
Mixing Patterns ◽  
Tuberculosis Disease ◽  
Node Position

Abstract Background Globally, tuberculosis disease (TB) is more common among males than females. Recent research proposes that differences in social mixing by sex could alter infection patterns in TB. We examine evidence for two mechanisms by which social-mixing could increase men’s contact rates with TB cases. First, men could be positioned in social networks such that they contact more people or social groups. Second, preferential mixing by sex could prime men to have more exposure to TB cases. Methods We compared the networks of male and female TB cases and healthy matched controls living in Kampala, Uganda. Specifically, we estimated their positions in social networks (network distance to TB cases, degree, betweenness, and closeness) and assortativity patterns (mixing with adult men, women, and children inside and outside the household). Results The observed network consisted of 11,840 individuals. There were few differences in estimates of node position by sex. We found distinct mixing patterns by sex and TB disease status including that TB cases have proportionally more adult male contacts and fewer contacts with children. Conclusions This analysis used a network approach to study how social mixing patterns are associated with TB disease. Understanding these mechanisms may have implications for designing targeted intervention strategies in high-burden populations.

scholarly journals Close contact infection dynamics over time: insights from a second large-scale social contact survey in Flanders, Belgium, in 2010-2011

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thang Van Hoang ◽  
Pietro Coletti ◽  
Yimer Wasihun Kiffe ◽  
Kim Van Kerckhove ◽  
Sarah Vercruysse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Contact Rates ◽  
Contact Patterns ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Social Mixing ◽  
Mixing Patterns ◽  
Contact Survey ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundIn 2010-2011, we conducted a social contact survey in Flanders, Belgium, aimed at improving and extending the design of the first social contact survey conducted in Belgium in 2006. This second social contact survey aimed to enable, for the first time, the estimation of social mixing patterns for an age range of 0 to 99 years and the investigation of whether contact rates remain stable over this 5-year time period.MethodsDifferent data mining techniques are used to explore the data, and the age-specific number of social contacts and the age-specific contact rates are modelled using a GAMLSS model. We compare different matrices using assortativeness measures. The relative change in the basic reproduction number (R0) and the ratio of relative incidences with 95% bootstrap confidence intervals (BCI) are employed to investigate and quantify the impact on epidemic spread due to differences in gender, day of the week, holiday vs. regular periods and changes in mixing patterns over the 5-year time gap between the 2006 and 2010-2011 surveys. Finally, we compare the fit of the contact matrices in 2006 and 2010-2011 to Varicella serological data.ResultsAll estimated contact patterns featured strong homophily in age and gender, especially for small children and adolescents. A 30% (95% BCI [17%; 37%] ) and 29% (95% BCI [14%; 40%] ) reduction in R0 was observed for weekend versus weekdays and for holiday versus regular periods, respectively. Significantly more interactions between people aged 60+ years and their grandchildren were observed on holiday and weekend days than on regular weekdays. Comparing contact patterns using different methods did not show any substantial differences over the 5-year time period under study.ConclusionsThe second social contact survey in Flanders, Belgium, endorses the findings of its 2006 predecessor and adds important information on the social mixing patterns of people older than 60 years of age. Based on this analysis, the mixing patterns of people older than 60 years exhibit considerable heterogeneity, and overall, the comparison of the two surveys shows that social contact rates can be assumed stable in Flanders over a time span of 5 years.

scholarly journals Close contact infection dynamics over time: insights from a second large-scale social contact survey in Flanders, Belgium, in 2010-2011

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thang Van Hoang ◽  
Pietro Coletti ◽  
Yimer Wasihun Kifle ◽  
Kim Van Kerckhove ◽  
Sarah Vercruysse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Close Contact ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Additive Models ◽  
Contact Rates ◽  
Contact Patterns ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Social Mixing ◽  
Mixing Patterns ◽  
Contact Survey ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background In 2010-2011, we conducted a social contact survey in Flanders, Belgium, aimed at improving and extending the design of the first social contact survey conducted in Belgium in 2006. This second social contact survey aimed to enable, for the first time, the estimation of social mixing patterns for an age range of 0 to 99 years and the investigation of whether contact rates remain stable over this 5-year time period. Methods Different data mining techniques are used to explore the data, and the age-specific number of social contacts and the age-specific contact rates are modelled using a generalized additive models for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS) model. We compare different matrices using assortativeness measures. The relative change in the basic reproduction number (R0) and the ratio of relative incidences with 95% bootstrap confidence intervals (BCI) are employed to investigate and quantify the impact on epidemic spread due to differences in sex, day of the week, holiday vs. regular periods and changes in mixing patterns over the 5-year time gap between the 2006 and 2010-2011 surveys. Finally, we compare the fit of the contact matrices in 2006 and 2010-2011 to Varicella serological data. Results All estimated contact patterns featured strong homophily in age and sex, especially for small children and adolescents. A 30% (95% BCI [17%; 37%]) and 29% (95% BCI [14%; 40%]) reduction in R0 was observed for weekend versus weekdays and for holiday versus regular periods, respectively. Significantly more interactions between people aged 60+ years and their grandchildren were observed on holiday and weekend days than on regular weekdays. Comparing contact patterns using different methods did not show any substantial differences over the 5-year time period under study. Conclusions The second social contact survey in Flanders, Belgium, endorses the findings of its 2006 predecessor and adds important information on the social mixing patterns of people older than 60 years of age. Based on this analysis, the mixing patterns of people older than 60 years exhibit considerable heterogeneity, and overall, the comparison of the two surveys shows that social contact rates can be assumed stable in Flanders over a time span of 5 years.

scholarly journals Inequality is rising where social network segregation interacts with urban topology

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gergő Tóth ◽  
Johannes Wachs ◽  
Riccardo Di Clemente ◽  
Ákos Jakobi ◽  
Bence Ságvári ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Network Structure ◽  
Urban Geography ◽  
Online Social Network ◽  
Stage Model ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Social Segregation ◽  
Social Network Structure ◽  
Physical Barriers

AbstractSocial networks amplify inequalities by fundamental mechanisms of social tie formation such as homophily and triadic closure. These forces sharpen social segregation, which is reflected in fragmented social network structure. Geographical impediments such as distance and physical or administrative boundaries also reinforce social segregation. Yet, less is known about the joint relationships between social network structure, urban geography, and inequality. In this paper we analyze an online social network and find that the fragmentation of social networks is significantly higher in towns in which residential neighborhoods are divided by physical barriers such as rivers and railroads. Towns in which neighborhoods are relatively distant from the center of town and amenities are spatially concentrated are also more socially segregated. Using a two-stage model, we show that these urban geography features have significant relationships with income inequality via social network fragmentation. In other words, the geographic features of a place can compound economic inequalities via social networks.

scholarly journals Characteristics of human encounters and social mixing patterns relevant to infectious diseases spread by close contact: a survey in Southwest Uganda

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
O. le Polain de Waroux ◽  
S. Cohuet ◽  
D. Ndazima ◽  
A. J. Kucharski ◽  
A. Juan-Giner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Social Mixing ◽  
Mixing Patterns

scholarly journals Balancing User Profile and Social Network Structure for Anchor Link Inferring Across Multiple Online Social Networks

IEEE Access ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 12031-12040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiangtao Ma ◽  
Yaqiong Qiao ◽  
Guangwu Hu ◽  
Yongzhong Huang ◽  
Meng Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Network Structure ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
User Profile ◽  
Social Network Structure

QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus combined with HBHA-Induced IFN-γ release assay improves the accuracy of identifying tuberculosis disease status

Tuberculosis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 124 ◽  
pp. 101966
Author(s):  
Jinhua Tang ◽  
Yuan Huang ◽  
Shen Jiang ◽  
Fang Huang ◽  
Tingting Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Status ◽  
Release Assay ◽  
Ifn Γ ◽  
Tuberculosis Disease

scholarly journals Head-to-Head Comparison of Social Network Assessments in Stroke Survivors

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-24
Author(s):  
Morgan Prust ◽  
Abby Halm ◽  
Simona Nedelcu ◽  
Amber Nieves ◽  
Amar Dhand
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Network Structure ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Personal Network ◽  
Mapping Tool ◽  
Social Network Structure ◽  
Network Mapping

Background and Purpose: Social networks influence human health and disease through direct biological and indirect psychosocial mechanisms. They have particular importance in neurologic disease because of support, information, and healthy behavior adoption that circulate in networks. Investigations into social networks as determinants of disease risk and health outcomes have historically relied on summary indices of social support, such as the Lubben Social Network Scale–Revised (LSNS-R) or the Stroke Social Network Scale (SSNS). We compared these 2 survey tools to personal network (PERSNET) mapping tool, a novel social network survey that facilitates detailed mapping of social network structure, extraction of quantitative network structural parameters, and characterization of the demographic and health parameters of each network member. Methods: In a cohort of inpatient and outpatient stroke survivors, we administered LSNS-R, SSNS, and PERSNET in a randomized order to each patient. We used logistic regression to generate correlation matrices between LSNS-R scores, SSNS scores, and PERSNET’s network structure (eg, size and density) and composition metrics (eg, percent kin in network). We also examined the relationship between LSNS-R-derived risk of social isolation with PERSNET-derived network size. Results: We analyzed survey responses for 67 participants and found a significant correlation between LSNS-R, SSNS, and PERSNET-derived indices of network structure. We found no correlation between LSNS-R, SSNS, and PERSNET-derived metrics of network composition. Personal network mapping tool structural and compositional variables were also internally correlated. Social isolation defined by LSNS-R corresponded to a network size of <5. Conclusions: Personal network mapping tool is a valid index of social network structure, with a significant correlation to validated indices of perceived social support. Personal network mapping tool also captures a novel range of health behavioral data that have not been well characterized by previous network surveys. Therefore, PERSNET offers a comprehensive social network assessment with visualization capabilities that quantifies the social environment in a valid and unique manner.

scholarly journals Cumulative effects of triadic closure and homophily in social networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (19) ◽  
pp. eaax7310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aili Asikainen ◽  
Gerardo Iñiguez ◽  
Javier Ureña-Carrión ◽  
Kimmo Kaski ◽  
Mikko Kivelä
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Communication Networks ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Network Evolution ◽  
Cumulative Effects ◽  
Small Individual ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Social Network Structure ◽  
Triadic Closure ◽  
Dynamic Interplay

Social network structure has often been attributed to two network evolution mechanisms—triadic closure and choice homophily—which are commonly considered independently or with static models. However, empirical studies suggest that their dynamic interplay generates the observed homophily of real-world social networks. By combining these mechanisms in a dynamic model, we confirm the longheld hypothesis that choice homophily and triadic closure cause induced homophily. We estimate how much observed homophily in friendship and communication networks is amplified due to triadic closure. We find that cumulative effects of homophily amplification can also lead to the widely documented core-periphery structure of networks, and to memory of homophilic constraints (equivalent to hysteresis in physics). The model shows that even small individual bias may prompt network-level changes such as segregation or core group dominance. Our results highlight that individual-level mechanisms should not be analyzed separately without considering the dynamics of society as a whole.

scholarly journals Differences in anxieties and social networks in a group-matched sample of autistic and typically developing students transitioning to university

Autism ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 1138-1151
Author(s):  
Jiedi Lei ◽  
Chris Ashwin ◽  
Mark Brosnan ◽  
Ailsa Russell
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Social Network Structure ◽  
Matched Design ◽  
The Relationship

Transitioning to university can be anxiety-provoking for all students. The relationship between social anxiety, autistic traits and students’ social network structure, and perceived support is poorly understood. This study used a group-matched design where autistic students ( n = 28) and typically developing students ( n = 28) were matched on sex, age (17–19 years), ethnicity, pre-university academic performance and degree subject at university. Autistic students reported greater transition to university worries, and a smaller social network size compared to typically developing students, though perceived similar levels of support from their social networks. Autistic and typically developing students showed differential patterns of association with both autistic traits and social anxiety. Broader clinical and practical implications of findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Interactions with humans are jointly influenced by life history stage and social network factors and reduce group cohesion in moor macaques (Macaca maura)

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen S. Morrow ◽  
Hunter Glanz ◽  
Putu Oka Ngakan ◽  
Erin P. Riley
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Life History ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Interindividual Variation ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
The Road ◽  
Network Position ◽  
Moor Macaques ◽  
Structure Changes ◽  
Social Network Structure

AbstractHuman-wildlife encounters are becoming increasingly frequent across the globe, often leading people to interact with and feed wild animals and impacting animal behaviour and ecology. Although the nature of human-wildlife interactions has been well documented across a number of species, we still have limited understanding as to why some individual animals interact more frequently with humans than others. Additionally, we lack a comprehensive understanding of how these interactions influence animal social networks. Using behavioural data from a group of moor macaque monkeys (Macaca maura), we used permutation-based linear regression analyses to understand how life history and social network factors jointly explain interindividual variation in tendency to interact with humans along a provincial road in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. As our study group spent only a portion of their time in proximity to humans, we also examined how social network structure changes in response to human presence by comparing social networks in the forest to those along the road. We found that sex, individual network position, and associate network position interact in complex ways to influence individual behaviour. Individual variation in tendency to be along the road caused social networks to become less cohesive when in proximity to humans. This study demonstrates that nuanced intragroup analyses are necessary to fully understand and address conservation issues relating to human-wildlife interactions.

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