Using Structured Populations in STEM

The ability to use structured populations in STEM allows users to arrive at a fuller and more accurate understanding of how diseases affect public health. This feature allows modelers to focus in on age groups, conditions, gender, or even species as they explore issues of concern to public health efforts. Would H1N1 impact children and adults in their early and middle years more severely than seniors? Would it pose special risks for pregnant women? How do sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as HIV/AIDS differ between genders? How do epidemics in other species (e.g., ducks in Asia, cattle in Britain) impact human populations? In an increasingly globalized world, asking and answering such questions can be critical to public health and welfare.