Exploring the effects of network structure and healthcare worker behavior on the transmission of hospital-acquired infections

Abstract

We investigate the transmission of infectious diseases in hospitals using a network-centric perspective. Patients who share a healthcare worker are inherently connected to each other and those connections form a network through which transmission can occur. The structure of this network can be a strong determinant of the extent and rate of transmission. We explore the effects of healthcare worker behavior, including sharing patients and incorporating the ability for healthcare workers to infect each other. Finally, we examine how patient turnover can affect transmission dynamics in a patient network under the influence of other effects. Our results show that all of these factors can affect transmission significantly, and that this model can be used to provide additional insight to hospital administrators who are looking to improve their ability to control infections.

Keywords:

• Agent-based modeling
• simulation
• social network analysis
• infection control
• hospital-acquired infections
• transmission dynamics
• mathematical modeling