The interplay between the awareness-based resource allocation and epidemic spreading on multiplex networks

We investigate the interplay between the resource allocation and epidemic spreading on the multiplex networks with edge overlap. We consider that the resource allocation that take place on the social subnetwork is driven by the awareness of the individuals for self-protection, and the disease spreading that take place on the contact subnetwork is influenced by the process of resource allocation. To model the coupled dynamics of these two processes, an awareness-driven resource allocation model and a resource-based susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (r-SEIR) epidemiological model are proposed. By adopting the Monte Carlo simulations on the multiplex networks, we study the coupled dynamics of the resource allocation and disease spreading on the networks and the effects of inter-layer edge overlap on the coupled dynamics respectively. We find that the awareness of the individuals inhabits the spread of the disease. Specifically, the final infected density decreases rapidly with the increase of the awareness level. In addition, we find that the edge overlap of the multiplex networks can also suppress the disease spreading. The results are instructive for the study of disease control strategies.