Human behavior and social factors play important roles in the spread of infectious diseases, understanding the influence of them on the spread of diseases can be key to improving control efforts. In this talk I will introduce some recent studies on the influence of human behavior and social factors on the spread of infectious diseases. More specifically, studies on vaccination decision using Nash equilibrium strategy, the impact of social inequalities, and the influence of psychological effect will be reviewed. Both results and problems will be presented.

Shigui Ruan obtained his PhD in Applied Mathematics in 1992 from the University of Alberta, Edmonton. He was a Junior Fellow at the Fields Institute from 1992-1993, a Post-doctoral Fellow at McMaster University from 1993-1994, an Assistant and Associate Professor at Dalhousie University from 1994-2002. He joined the Department of Mathematics at the University of Miami, Florida, in 2002 where he is now a Full Professor and Cooper Fellow. His research interests are Differential Equations, Dynamical Systems and Mathematical Biology.