Mathematical model of dating apps’ influence on sexually transmitted diseases spread

Abstract

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a group of pathogens infecting new hosts through sexual interactions. Due to its social and economic burden, multiple models have been proposed to study the spreading of pathogens. In parallel, in the ever-evolving landscape of digital social interactions, the pervasive utilization of dating apps has become a prominent facet of modern society. Despite the surge in popularity and the profound impact on relationship formation, a crucial gap in the literature persists regarding the potential ramifications of dating apps usage on the dynamics of STDs. In this paper, we address this gap by presenting a novel mathematical framework - an extended Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible (SIS) epidemiological model to elucidate the intricate interplay between dating apps engagement and the propagation of STDs. Namely, as dating apps are designed to make users revisit them and have mainly casual sexual interactions with other users, they increase the number of causal partners, which increases the overall spread of STDS. Using extensive simulation, based on real-world data, explore the effect of dating apps adoption and control on the STD spread. We show that an increased adoption of dating apps can result in an STD outbreak if not handled appropriately.