The Role of Economic Epidemiology Modelling With Special Reference To HIV/AIDS

Economic epidemiology is a field at the intersection of epidemiology and economics. Its premise is to incorporate principles of individual behavior incentives for healthy behavior, resource optimization, simple economics into epidemiological models and the dynamics of infectious diseases into health economics. It is the basic science of public health which is the science and art of preventing diseases prolonging life promoting health through organised efforts and informed choices of governments, individuals, communities, societies and organisations (both private and public). The aim is to have an interdisciplinary approach to manage the complex interaction of mathematical, economical, epidemiological and biological considerations in the emergence, persistence and spread of infectious diseases. This study shows that interdisciplinary collaborations can help in improving the accuracy of predictions of the course and cost of the epidemic and therefore help policy makers in implementing the correct strategies.