Prevention versus treatment: A game-theoretic approach

Abstract

Empirical studies show that preference for prevention versus treatment remains a subject of debate. We build a paradigm model combining a utility game for the individual-level dilemma of prevention versus treatment, and a compartmental model for the epidemic dynamic. We assume that individuals arrive to maximize the utility of voluntary prevention, as the epidemic reaches an endemic level alleviated by prevention and treatment. We thus obtain an expression for the asymptotic prevention coverage. Notably, we obtain that, if the relative cost of prevention versus treatment is sufficiently low, epidemics may be averted through the use of prevention alone.