Developing and applying innovative methodologies of longitudinal network data and agent-based modelling to public health

每个人都被嵌入到一个由朋友、同事和家人组成的社交网络中。我们周围的人会影响我们的想法和生活中的选择，甚至影响我们的健康和幸福。这项研究通过观察青少年自我报告的酒精、烟草和药物使用水平，以及年轻人所处的不断发展的社会网络，调查了学校环境中的社会网络对青少年冒险行为的影响。友谊可以影响青少年的健康行为，但这是由于同伴选择（喜欢与相似的人交往）还是同伴影响（采用同伴行为）？本研究的目的是进一步探讨这些观点，并调查学校环境、友谊的性别隔离以及关键的个人或父母属性如何影响同伴网络，并影响其大小或机制。药物使用行为的网络效应。这项研究将使用许多不同的研究方法，包括纵向网络分析和基于主体的建模，以更清楚地了解社会网络对药物滥用的影响，并加强公共卫生干预。

Everyone is embedded within a social network of friends, work colleagues and family. The people who we are surrounded by can influence our thoughts and choices we make in life, and indeed our health and well-being. This study investigates the effect that the social networks within a school environment have on adolescent risk-taking behaviours by looking at the self-reported levels of alcohol, tobacco and drug use as well as the evolving social networks the young people are embedded in. Friendships can influence adolescent health behaviours, but are these due to peer selection (like associates with like) or peer influence (adoption of peer behaviours)? The aim of this study is to explore further these ideas and investigate how the school environment, gender segregation of friendships, and key personal or parental attributes, might influence the peer network and affect the magnitude or ?mechanisms? of the network effects on substance use behaviour. This study will use a number of different research methods including longitudinal network analysis and agent-based modelling to provide a clearer understanding about the effects of social networks on substance misuse and to enhance public health interventions.