EpiModel 2.0: Integrated Network Models for HIV/STI Prevention Science

Work conducted by the Northwestern team will be focused on two main tasks: utilizing network data from the RADAR project to allow EpiModel to accommodate sociometric network data, and leveraging these extended capabilities to answer substantive research questions. The first year of the project will focus on the analysis of sociometric network dataset from the RADAR study and deriving network parameters (e.g., triangles, k-stars, etc.) to be used as the foundation of accommodating sociometric network data within EpiModel. Years 2 and 3 will focus on refinement and validation of sociometric network data within the EpiModel framework, which will require additional network analysis of the RADAR dataset. Beginning in year 3 and further expanding in years 4 and 5, the Northwestern team will shift focus from incorporating sociometric network data into EpiModel to emphasize the use of this data to inform scientific questions. For example, the Northwestern University team will work collaboratively with the project PI to exploit the new capabilities of EpiModel to tackle substantive research questions, such as examining the impact of sociometric network position on the effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions such as PrEP. This work will also utilize the RADAR dataset when necessary to provide parameter estimates of network statistics that are needed for this modeling.