param.net: Epidemic Parameters for Stochastic Network Models

Description

Sets the epidemic parameters for stochastic network models simulated with netsim.

Usage

param.net(
  inf.prob,
  inter.eff,
  inter.start,
  act.rate,
  rec.rate,
  a.rate,
  ds.rate,
  di.rate,
  dr.rate,
  inf.prob.g2,
  rec.rate.g2,
  a.rate.g2,
  ds.rate.g2,
  di.rate.g2,
  dr.rate.g2,
  ...
)

Value

An EpiModel object of class param.net.

Arguments

inf.prob: Probability of infection per transmissible act between a susceptible and an infected person. In two-group models, this is the probability of infection to the group 1 nodes. This may also be a vector of probabilities, with each element corresponding to the probability in that time step of infection (see Time-Varying Parameters below).
inter.eff: Efficacy of an intervention which affects the per-act probability of infection. Efficacy is defined as 1 - the relative hazard of infection given exposure to the intervention, compared to no exposure.
inter.start: Time step at which the intervention starts, between 1 and the number of time steps specified in the model. This will default to 1 if inter.eff is defined but this parameter is not.
act.rate: Average number of transmissible acts per partnership per unit time (see act.rate Parameter below). This may also be a vector of rates, with each element corresponding to the rate in that time step of infection (see Time-Varying Parameters below).
rec.rate: Average rate of recovery with immunity (in SIR models) or re-susceptibility (in SIS models). The recovery rate is the reciprocal of the disease duration. For two-group models, this is the recovery rate for group 1 persons only. This parameter is only used for SIR and SIS models. This may also be a vector of rates, with each element corresponding to the rate in that time step of infection (see Time-Varying Parameters below).
a.rate: Arrival or entry rate. For one-group models, the arrival rate is the rate of new arrivals per person per unit time. For two-group models, the arrival rate is parameterized as a rate per group 1 person per unit time, with the a.rate.g2 rate set as described below.
ds.rate: Departure or exit rate for susceptible persons. For two-group models, it is the rate for group 1 susceptible persons only.
di.rate: Departure or exit rate for infected persons. For two-group models, it is the rate for group 1 infected persons only.
dr.rate: Departure or exit rate for recovered persons. For two-group models, it is the rate for group 1 recovered persons only. This parameter is only used for SIR models.
inf.prob.g2: Probability of transmission given a transmissible act between a susceptible group 2 person and an infected group 1 person. It is the probability of transmission to group 2 members.
rec.rate.g2: Average rate of recovery with immunity (in SIR models) or re-susceptibility (in SIS models) for group 2 persons. This parameter is only used for two-group SIR and SIS models.
a.rate.g2: Arrival or entry rate for group 2. This may either be specified numerically as the rate of new arrivals per group 2 person per unit time, or as NA, in which case the group 1 rate, a.rate, governs the group 2 rate. The latter is used when, for example, the first group is conceptualized as female, and the female population size determines the arrival rate. Such arrivals are evenly allocated between the two groups.
ds.rate.g2: Departure or exit rate for group 2 susceptible persons.
di.rate.g2: Departure or exit rate for group 2 infected persons.
dr.rate.g2: Departure or exit rate for group 2 recovered persons. This parameter is only used for SIR model types.
...: Additional arguments passed to model.

The <code>act.rate</code> Parameter

A key difference between these network models and DCM/ICM classes is the treatment of transmission events. With DCM and ICM, contacts or partnerships are mathematically instantaneous events: they have no duration in time, and thus no changes may occur within them over time. In contrast, network models allow for partnership durations defined by the dynamic network model, summarized in the model dissolution coefficients calculated in dissolution_coefs. Therefore, the act.rate parameter has a different interpretation here, where it is the number of transmissible acts per partnership per unit time.

Time-Varying Parameters

The inf.prob, act.rate, rec.rate arguments (and their .g2 companions) may be specified as time-varying parameters by passing in a vector of probabilities or rates, respectively. The value in each position on the vector then corresponds to the probability or rate at that discrete time step for the infected partner. For example, an inf.prob of c(0.5, 0.5, 0.1) would simulate a 0.5 transmission probability for the first two time steps of a person's infection, followed by a 0.1 for the third time step. If the infected person has not recovered or exited the population by the fourth time step, the third element in the vector will carry forward until one of those events occurs or the simulation ends. For further examples, see the Network Modeling for Epidemics tutorials.

Random Parameters

In addition to deterministic parameters in either fixed or time-varying varieties above, one may also include a generator for random parameters. These might include a vector of potential parameter values or a statistical distribution definition; in either case, one draw from the generator would be completed per individual simulation. This is possible by passing a list named random.params into param.net, with each element of random.params a named generator function. See the help page and examples in generate_random_params. A simple factory function for sampling is provided with param_random but any function will do.

Using a Parameter data.frame

It is possible to set input parameters using a specifically formatted data.frame object. The first 3 columns of this data.frame must be:

param: The name of the parameter. If this is a non-scalar parameter (a vector of length > 1), end the parameter name with the position on the vector (e.g., "p_1", "p_2", ...).
value: the value for the parameter (or the value of the parameter in the Nth position if non-scalar).
type: a character string containing either "numeric", "logical", or "character" to define the parameter object class.

In addition to these 3 columns, the data.frame can contain any number of other columns, such as details or source columns to document parameter meta-data. However, these extra columns will not be used by EpiModel.

This data.frame is then passed in to param.net under a data.frame.parameters argument. Further details and examples are provided in the "Working with Model Parameters in EpiModel" vignette.

Parameters with New Modules

To build original models outside of the base models, new process modules may be constructed to replace the existing modules or to supplement the existing set. These are passed into the control settings in control.net. New modules may use either the existing model parameters named here, an original set of parameters, or a combination of both. The ... allows the user to pass an arbitrary set of original model parameters into param.net. Whereas there are strict checks with default modules for parameter validity, this becomes a user responsibility when using new modules.

Details

param.net sets the epidemic parameters for the stochastic network models simulated with the netsim function. Models may use the base types, for which these parameters are used, or new process modules which may use these parameters (but not necessarily). A detailed description of network model parameterization for base models is found in the Network Modeling for Epidemics tutorials.

For base models, the model specification will be chosen as a result of the model parameters entered here and the control settings in control.net. One-group and two-group models are available, where the latter assumes a heterogeneous mixing between two distinct partitions in the population (e.g., men and women). Specifying any two-group parameters (those with a .g2) implies the simulation of a two-group model. All the parameters for a desired model type must be specified, even if they are zero.

Examples

Run this code

## Example SIR model parameterization with fixed and random parameters
# Network model estimation
nw <- network_initialize(n = 100)
formation <- ~edges
target.stats <- 50
coef.diss <- dissolution_coefs(dissolution = ~offset(edges), duration = 20)
est <- netest(nw, formation, target.stats, coef.diss, verbose = FALSE)

# Random epidemic parameter list (here act.rate values are sampled uniformly
# with helper function param_random, and inf.prob follows a general Beta
# distribution with the parameters shown below)
my_randoms <- list(
  act.rate = param_random(1:3),
  inf.prob = function() rbeta(1, 1, 2)
)

# Parameters, initial conditions, and control settings
param <- param.net(rec.rate = 0.02, random.params = my_randoms)

# Printing parameters shows both fixed and and random parameter functions
param

# Set initial conditions and controls
init <- init.net(i.num = 10, r.num = 0)
control <- control.net(type = "SIR", nsteps = 10, nsims = 3, verbose = FALSE)

# Simulate the model
sim <- netsim(est, param, init, control)

# Printing the sim object shows the randomly drawn values for each simulation
sim

# Parameter sets can be extracted with:
get_param_set(sim)

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