Study of Emerging Networks in Outbreak Response

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

Study of Emerging Networks in Outbreak Response Principal Investigators: Christopher Ansell, Ann Keller, Art Reingold With an increasing global population and greater ease of transportation, the threat of infectious disease pandemics is larger than it has been in the past. Infectious diseases have the potential to spread rapidly across national borders. In order to respond effectively, governments, experts, and organizations must be able to coordinate information and activities with one another. Yet, no two outbreaks are alike which makes it difficult for organizations to take advantage of past experience to guide them in the face of a new outbreak. This is especially true when the outbreak involves a new disease. Information about the number and distribution of cases is rarely complete and little may be known about the disease itself and how it spreads. In such cases, experts have to learn about the disease as it occurs and face many uncertainties that make communication and decision-making difficult. Under these conditions, participants face substantial challenges in mobilizing a coordinated, effective response. This study makes use of an international team of researchers who will study the actors in key organizations as they respond to any significant disease outbreak that occurs during the study period. The project will use an internet survey to collect information from key participants as an outbreak occurs. In addition, researchers will bring together the major participants of an outbreak after the event to discuss the event itself and the information collected on-line. The researchers will then analyze this information to learn about the nature of the interactions between individuals, organizations, and countries as they attempted to share information and coordinate activities to mobilize an effective response. This study will significantly improve our understanding of the interactions among participants by gathering information about outbreak response efforts as they occur. This represents an improvement over existing studies that attempt to recreate the significant events of an outbreak after the outbreak ended. By studying the events as they occur, this research will provide a more accurate picture of the problems that arise as individuals, organizations, and governments who mobilize in response to an international outbreak attempt to coordinate their activities. By learning more about the successes and pitfalls associated with international outbreak response, this research will develop strategies to improve the way that the international community manages infectious disease outbreaks that cross national borders.