Population Mobility and Disease Spread in Dominica

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This is a study of the effect of cultural factors, social ties, and short-term population mobility (such as daily shopping and visiting) in the spread of parasitic disease on the island of Dominica in the Lesser Antilles, West Indies. Methods involve the development and analysis of mathematical models. The movement of individuals in the course of their daily activities is an important aspect of human behavior. Since most human illness is spread by direct or indirect human contact, population mobility is a critical factor involved in its spread between regions. Previous research on population movements has concentrated on large-scale permanent migrations, often because of better labor markets in new areas. Although this kind of mobility has proven useful in explaining global patterns of disease spread during human history, it is not of use in explaining its every-day occurrence. Short-term mobility is far more important for this problem because it is more common and because long stays in an area are not required in order for transmission to occur. This project will provide quantitative data on the nature of such mobility and its importance for the spread and maintenance of disease in an area. While a major focus of this study is the ultimate utilization of these data in epidemiology, the study itself is anthropological in nature and draws on the importance of social ties among kin and non-kin, and the significance of population mobility in a market-based economy.