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Networks of Preparedness and Response During Australian H1N1 Outbreak

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 April 2015

Liaquat Hossain Open the ORCID record for Liaquat Hossain [Opens in a new window] ,
Fadl Bdeir ,
John W Crawford  and
Rolf T. Wigand
Liaquat Hossain*
Affiliation:
Division of Information and Technology Studies, University of Hong Kong Complex Systems, School of Civil Engineering Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Sydney, Australia
Fadl Bdeir
Affiliation:
Complex Systems, School of Civil Engineering Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Sydney, Australia
John W Crawford
Affiliation:
Sustainable Systems, Rothamsted Research, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Rolf T. Wigand
Affiliation:
Departments of Information Science and Management, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Arksansas
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Liaquat Hossain, PhD, Division of Information and Technology Studies, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong (e-mail: lhossain@hku.hk).
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Abstract

Objective

New theoretical and practical approaches were used to determine the outcome of complex interorganizational networks during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak in Australia.

Methods

Seventy health professionals from different skill sets and organizational positions who participated in the 2009 swine influenza H1N1 outbreak in Australia were surveyed. Interviews were designed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to build a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the dynamics of interorganizational networks that evolve during the coordinated response to the H1N1 outbreak. Three main components of network theory, ie, degree centrality, connectedness, and tie strength, were used to construct a performance model for assessing networks of preparedness and response.

Results

We observed that increasing communication frequency and diversifying the tiers of the interorganizational links enhanced the overall network’s performance in the case of formal coordination. Network measures such as centrality, connectedness, and tie strength were relevant and resulted in improving the entire network’s performance during the outbreak.

Conclusion

In the context of a disease outbreak in a complex environment and a large geographical area, this investigation has provided a new perspective for understanding how the structure of a collaborative network of personnel affects the performance of the overall network. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:155-165)

Keywords

networkscoordinationpreparednessresponsedisease outbreaks
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , April 2015 , pp. 155 - 165
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2015 

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